“General Hospital” star Johnny Wactor died from a gunshot wound to the chest, the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner determined.
Wactor died in the early morning of May 25 during what appears to be a robbery gone wrong. His death has been listed as a homicide, according to People.
Grant Wactor, the famous actor’s brother, said Johnny was working as a bartender and had just ended his shift. Grant said Johnny and his female co-worker were walking to their cars when they came face-to-face with three armed people who were allegedly attempting to steal the catalytic converter from Wactor’s car. One of the armed men allegedly fatally shot and killed Wactor, according to People.
‘General Hospital’ Actor Johnny Wactor Shot, Killed During Robbery Attempt | Click to read more 👇 https://t.co/0TZ9SkbBJ5
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Grant said that when Wactor approached his vehicle, he noticed his car “was jacked up or lifted in some way. He thought he was being towed,” according to People.
The actor quickly realized “they were definitely not tow truck people” and put his body in front of his female co-worker to protect her from harm, Grant said. He had his hands up at the time that he was allegedly shot.
“He did not confront them,” Grant told People. “He did not try to stop them. He was just trying to diffuse the situation by stepping back.”
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – OCTOBER 29: Actor Johnny Wactor is seen in Old City on October 29, 2023 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Gilbert Carrasquillo/GC Images)
Grant noted he believed the armed men “weren’t expecting anybody to walk up on them, so they got scared. And there’s nothing more dangerous than a coward with a gun in his hand.”
The three armed suspects fled the scene in a vehicle after the shooting. Wactor was transported to a local hospital and later pronounced dead.
BEVERLY HILLS, CA – MARCH 16: Actor Johnny Wactor takes a selfie at Queen Of The Universe International Beauty Pageant at Saban Theatre on March 16, 2014 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Michael Bezjian/WireImage)
Wactor was best known for his role as Brando Corbin on “General Hospital.” His other acting credits include “Army Wives,” “NCIS”, “Station 19,” “Agent X,” “Training Day,” “Criminal Minds,” “The OA” and more.
A GoFundMe page has been set up to aid the family with the unexpected funeral costs of Wactor’s death. (RELATED: ‘General Hospital’ Star Robyn Bernard Found Dead In Open Field)
“With God‘s will, the killer will be arrested and the family will see him face to face. This may help bring closure to this tragedy,” Michaelle Kinard wrote to the crowd funding page. A little more than $86,000 of the $100,000 goal has been raised at the time of this writing.
