General Hospital star Johnny Wactor’s brave final act revealed: Actor, 37, was shielding female co-worker from armed car thieves when he was shot dead

General Hospital actor Johnny Wactor tried to protect a female colleague when armed car thieves fatally shot him Saturday as he tried to steal his catalytic converter in Los Angeles.

Wactor, 37, who appeared in 164 episodes of the soap opera from 2020 to 2022, was leaving his part-time job at a rooftop bar with a female coworker near West Pico Boulevard and South Hope Street around 3:25 a.m. Saturday when he saw the three men.

Police said one of three men, all wearing masks, shot Wactor before fleeing in a separate vehicle.

Wactor was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead a short time later.

Johnny’s younger brother Grant told DailyMail.com that Johnny and his brothers had been raised as “southern gentleman” and he was not surprised to find he had defended his female colleague.

“We’re Southern, born and raised, and we would never let a woman walk to their car alone.”

Grant, one of Johnny’s two younger brothers, said the actor initially thought he was being dragged away.

“He ran into them and thought his truck was being towed. So he said something to the guys like, “Hey, are you towing?”

Grant said his brother’s final act was one of bravery, protecting the female colleague as they shot him.

“And once he turned around, he saw what was happening and put his colleague behind him. And then they shot him.”

Johnny’s grandmother Barbara said he worked in restaurants in downtown LA because he often took on gigs as a bartender. Neither she nor Grant knew which bar he was working at that night.

He said Johnny and his coworker had to park about two blocks from the restaurant, so they walked to their car after finishing their shift.

That area in downtown LA is called South Park and is near trendy hotels and multi-million dollar residential condominiums.

Johnny, said mother Scarlett Wactor, thought his vehicle was being towed and tried to contact the men for more information.

One of the suspects was wearing a mask. When he heard Wactor, he looked up and then shot him, she said ABC7.

Grant confirmed that Johnny was shot in the chest when he encountered the suspects trying to steal the catalytic converter from his truck.

Police said paramedics arrived on the scene around 3 a.m. local time and took him to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Grant added that police told him Johnny had not tried to fight the would-be robbers, but that the actor retreated and tried to protect his friend when the shot was fired.

“My brother was probably the hardest working person I ever met in my life. He was a great brother and son,” Grant said.

‘Everyone he touched made a big impression. He was as charismatic in real life as he was on camera. And he was always sincere, through and through.’

Grant obviously hopes that the men who killed Johnny are brought to justice.

‘I hope they can trace the people who did this. In a way I’m glad this is getting the publicity so it can shed some light on the things that need to change, or find ways so that no one else has to experience this – whether it’s a murder or you’re in the wrong place are. the wrong time.’

Johnny was the oldest of three boys. Grant is the youngest.

“We are absolutely devastated,” said his grandmother, Barbara. “He was just walking to his car. It’s pointless.’

The suspects have yet to be identified or described, but there is an incident matching the description of the murder involving the theft of a catalytic converter.

Catalytic converters are often targeted by thieves because they have a resale value of hundreds of dollars.

As of 5:30 PM on Sunday, LAPD officials said they had no further information, but the investigation is ongoing.

DailyMail.com has contacted the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office for comment.

Wactor appeared in more than 160 episodes of General Hospital from 2020 to 2022 as the character Brando Corbin.

The actor was also a series regular on the 2013 NBC drama series Siberia, which ran for eleven episodes.

He went on to have multi-episode arcs on TV shows like The OA, The Passenger, Westworld, and Hollywood Girl.

His first break on television came in a three-episode guest role on the Lifetime series Army Wives.

He had also started producing; his IMDb page lists three upcoming projects. Wactor also wrote a short film called Broken Riders.

Wactor’s most recent work was in the horror anthology Dead Talk Tales: Volume which I released earlier this year.

Personally, his Instagram page often showed him engaging in extreme sports such as rock climbing.

He is survived by his mother Scarlett and brothers Lance and Grant.

Wactor’s mother described him as a loving young man whose death leaves a hole in his family’s hearts, according to TMZ.

General Hospital co-star Perry Shen posted a beautiful memory of Wactor on X.

“Johnny Wactor was a beautiful, beautiful soul. So talented. As you can see in the promotional video, you are always up for anything. Funny as can be. Fit as hell but also loved ice cream and ate all the crap I ate too,” Shen wrote.

“We’ve all been cheated on with him for years.”

“As the tears slow down, this news literally makes me sick,” co-star Jon Lindstrom wrote.

“Johnny was one of those rare young men in this industry who was kind, modest, unassuming and always thinking of other people. A talented young man who just wanted to share that talent with the world.”

“I wish I had enough love to fill the hole his loved ones must be feeling right now, but I know that’s impossible. Johnny will be missed on this plane. For a long time. REST IN PEACE’