Star of “General Hospital” killed by catalytic converter thieves

Actor Johnny Wactor was shot and killed near downtown Los Angeles when he encountered a trio of catalytic converter thieves.

May 26, 2024, 5:42 p.m. PDT | Updated May 26, 2024, 5:49 p.m. PDT

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA — Actor Johnny Wactor, who was a regular on “General Hospital” for years, was shot and killed early Saturday morning near downtown Los Angeles when he happened upon catalytic converter thieves, police and multiple reports said.

Wactor, 37, appeared in nearly 200 episodes of “General Hospital” as Brando Corbin from 2020 to 2022. He has also appeared in “Westworld,” “NCIS,” “Criminal Minds” and “Station 19.”

Subscribe to

The shooting occurred at about 3:25 a.m. Saturday when the owner of a vehicle near Pico Boulevard and Hope Street encountered three people attempting to steal his catalytic converter, according to Los Angeles police. One of the thieves shot the man, and the trio fled in a waiting car, according to police

According to police, the victim was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital.

Wactotor’s mother, Scarlett Wactor, confirmed to TMZ that her son was killed when he and a co-worker saw the three men doing something to his car at a downtown rooftop bar. She said her son didn’t try to fight back or stop the thieves, but they shot him anyway before fleeing.

She told ABC7 that her son initially thought his car was being towed, but as he approached the person, the masked suspect looked up and opened fire.

Police did not initially release a description of the suspect or the vehicle. Wactor was also not publicly identified as the victim.

SEE ALSO:

Catalytic converter theft is a major problem in Los Angeles. It has led to numerous shootings and car chases and is responsible for more than 20 percent of all vehicle thefts in Los Angeles, according to the LAPD.

Thieves often target parked cars in the middle of the night. Catalytic converters are relatively easy to steal because thieves can unscrew or cut them out in a matter of minutes. Thieves can steal several catalytic converters in a single night and sell them to metal recyclers who value them for their platinum, palladium and rhodium content. Catalytic converters, the part of a vehicle’s exhaust system that reduces pollutants, can fetch thieves about $150 a piece.

The devices were also stolen from city vehicles, including 39 over the Christmas weekend, costing taxpayers about $74,000 in 2021.

Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call LAPD dispatch at 213-486-6606. Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477 or visit lacrimestoppers.org.

City News Service contributed to this report.