Police are asking for the public’s help in identifying the men who shot and killed actor Johnny Wactor.
The Los Angeles Police Department issued a new statement Tuesday confirming that Wactor was killed when he encountered thieves trying to steal part of his car. Three suspects fled the scene. Wactor, who played Brando Corbin General Hospital from 2020-2022, was 37.
Here’s the investigation and what his loved ones say.
🚨 Wactor ended his bartending shift prior to the altercation and was shot ‘without provocation’
LAPD officers responded to a radio call about an “assault with a deadly weapon/shooting” in downtown Los Angeles around 3:25 a.m. on May 25. They found Wactor “suffering from an apparent gunshot wound. Officers began rendering aid to the victim and requested emergency medical services response.”
Wactor was pronounced dead at a local hospital.
Based on witness statements, Wactor had finished his shift as a bartender at a local bar and walked to his car. When Wactor arrived at his vehicle, he was confronted by three individuals who had jacked up Wactor’s vehicle and were in the process of stealing the catalytic converter,” the LAPD said in a statement. “Without provocation, [Wactor] was shot by one of the individuals.”
📈 Car thefts in LA are up
A catalytic converter is part of a car’s exhaust system and is essential for controlling emissions.
Converters are a popular target among thieves. Earlier this month, the LAPD reported a spike in car thefts in two areas in LA, and the number of car thefts in the city has increased every year since 2019.
🗣 What his family and former colleagues say
Wactor’s mother, Scarlett Wactor, told Fox News Digital: “They took a wonderful human being.” She explained that her son and a co-worker stayed late cleaning the rooftop bar where they worked.
“They walked to their car, and when they got there, Johnny’s car, which was parked in front of the coworker, looked like it was jacked to the side and from what I understand, he said, ‘Hey man, you.’ Tow my car?’” she said. “And the person looked up and had a mask on, and so I think he knew they weren’t doing that, and so he stepped in front of the coworker and then stood back and put his hands up or both, and the person shot him .”
A statement posted on General HospitalWactor’s Instagram account sent its condolences to Wactor’s loved ones, saying they are “heartbroken” over his death. “He was truly one of a kind and a pleasure to work with every day,” it said.
Wactor’s ex-fiancé Tessa Farrell reacted to the news in an emotional video posted to social media.
“It’s so sad that he had to be taken from us like this because he cared so much about doing the right thing and earning things, he taught me that,” she said. “I will always love him.”
➡️The three men have not been found
“The three suspects involved were wearing all dark clothing and were driving a dark-colored sedan. The suspects fled north on Hope Street,” the LAPD said. The Central Homicide Bureau is investigating the case and urges anyone with information to contact police at (213) 996-4142.
