“General Hospital” actor Johnny Wactor has been shot and killed by catalytic converter thieves in crime-infested downtown Los Angeles.
Tributes have been pouring in from family members and fellow actors for the late soap opera star.
The 37-year-old was fatally shot in Los Angeles on Saturday morning as thieves attempted to steal the catalytic converter from his vehicle.
Wactor was pronounced dead just after 3:25 am.
He was shot after he walked his co-worker to her vehicle following a shift at a rooftop bar.
While approaching his own vehicle, Wactor saw three men around his car.
He was then shot by a masked man, his mother Scarlett told local ABC News affiliate KABC.
Wactor’s devasted mom continued:
“They were walking to their car, and when they get there, Johnny’s car, which was parked in front of the co-worker’s, looked like it was jacked to one side, and from what I understand, he said, ‘Hey, man, you towing my car?’ …
“And the person looked up and had a mask, and so then I guess he knew they weren’t doing that, and so he stepped in front of the co-worker and then backed up and put his hands up or both, and the person shot him.”
“In my thought process … if he’d been two minutes earlier or two minutes later, he’d be alive,” she added.
After Scarlett broke the news of her son’s death, calling him a “beautiful soul,” tributes flooded in for the actor, who was known for his role as Brando Corbin on the popular soap opera.
In one post, fellow “General Hospital” star William deVry called it a “senseless” death.
“Honestly, words can’t begin 2 express the sadness with which 2 convey my feelings towards losing another #GH Alum,” he said in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
“The senselessness of this lose is beyond description (sic).
“Johnny was such a good guy.
“Really horrible. RIP #JohnnyWactor & much love & comfort to those who loved him.”
Meanwhile, Parry Shen, who played Brad Cooper in the daytime soap opera, also called his late friend a “beautiful soul.”
“Johnny Wactor was a beautiful, beautiful soul. So talented,” Shen wrote.
“As you can see from the promo clip, always up for anything. Funny as all heck.
“Fit as hell but also loved ice cream and ate all the junk I did as well.
“We all were cheated of many years with him.”
Meanwhile, Sofia Mattsson, who played Wactor’s wife in the drama series said that her “heart is so utterly broken,” in a post on Instagram.
“Johnny was the absolute best.
“So genuine. So caring. Incredibly hard-working and humble.
“With a huge heart that spread so much kindness and joy.
“He always made sure everyone around him felt seen, heard, and loved.”
“I admire the man he was so much and I’m a better person for having known him,” she continued.
“We shared so many special moments, both on and off screen, and I will forever cherish them deeply in my heart.
“You will be so incredibly missed Johnny…
“I’m sure you’re already busy taking care of everyone up there.”
Encapsulating the feeling of loss by the cast and crew, the show spoke out about Wactor’s tragic death.
“The entire General Hospital family is heartbroken to hear of Johnny Wactor’s untimely passing,” the post read.
“He was truly one of a kind and a pleasure to work with each and every day.
“Our thoughts and prayers go out to his loved ones during this difficult time.”
Wactor’s death comes just months after General Hospital star Robyn Bernard was found dead in San Jacinto, California on March 12, aged 64.
Meanwhile, Wactor’s younger brother Grant has spoken out about the devastation felt by the family.
“My mother is tough as nails, but she’s broken down to the bone,” he told The Los Angeles Times.
“We have to get him back to Charleston [S.C.].
“It’s just a shame. It seems like it was just the wrong place, wrong time.”
Grant added that his older brother “lived life his way” and “did exactly what he wanted, even to his last day.”
“He was a kind loving son and brother, he lived life to the fullest,” Wactor’s mother said in a statement.
“He set goals and went after them.
“There is a very large hole in our hearts and lives.”
The Los Angeles Police Department’s Central Division Homicide is investigating the case.
Wactor got his start on television in the series “Army Wives” before appearing in other shows like “Animal Kingdom,” “Criminal Minds” and “Westworld.”
On “General Hospital,” he played Brando Corbin for 164 episodes from 2020 to 2022.
His most recent credit is in the horror anthology film “Dead Talk Tales: Volume I.”
Wactor’s mother said authorities are planning an autopsy, and the family will bring him back to South Carolina for funeral services when his body is released.
“What I’d like for everybody to know is that they took a great human being,” Scarlett Wactor said of her son.
“It is leaving a very large hole in me and his brother’s lives.
“We just buried my husband, their dad, four years ago.
“And he was very loved by his friends, his families.
“He lived life to the fullest, he chased his dreams, a very optimistic, positive person.”
She continued, “And the crazy thing is, he wasn’t trying to stop them from taking it.
“They could have just left or taken it, he probably would have just given them the car.
“They were very much a coward[ly] person …
“I hope they catch them, and I hope there’s justice for Johnny.
“That’s all I can hope and pray for.
“I will see him again,” she said.
“But down here on Earth, it’s going to be a very, very long road without him for me and his brothers.”
Wactor is survived by his mom Scarlett and brothers Lance and Grant.
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