A top prosecutor said Wednesday that investigators have leads in the shooting death of “General Hospital” actor Johnny Wactor, as his brother, friends and politicians called for more resources for the case and a tougher approach on crime in Los Angeles. .
Wactor, 37, was shot and killed on May 25 after leaving a rooftop bar after finishing his late-night bartending shift on Level 8 in downtown Los Angeles. He and a co-worker encountered three thieves near Pico Boulevard and Hope Street who were trying to steal his car. catalytic converter. One of them shot Wactor dead before fleeing around 3:35 am.
“We want something to be done,” Brother Grant Wactor told the group of more than 200 people gathered at the site where Wactor was shot. “My family and I don't live here. But Johnny's friends… Johnny has roots here. Johnny still has roots here and he will continue to have roots here. That's why we want it to be a safer city for them. …We want it sooner rather than later.
“We appreciate all the work that is being done to find and capture all of these people, but we hope that any resources that [are] still available [used]”he added.
Micah Parker, a fellow actor, called on Los Angeles politicians to stop being soft on crime and called for the District. Lawyer. George Gascón pledged to seek the maximum sentence for Wactor's murderers and demanded that Mayor Karen Bass commit more resources to preventing the crime.
“They need to step aside and do their job,” Parker said.
Grant Wactor, left, brother of actor Johnny Wactor, joins a rally calling for justice after his brother's shooting death.
(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
Joseph Iniguez, chief deputy district attorney, told attendees that top prosecutors from the major crimes division are working with Central Office homicide detectives on the investigation.
No arrests have been made in connection with the murder, but Iniguez said, “We have several leads.”
He added that prosecutors cannot preemptively discuss how they will handle any prosecution.
Nathan Hochman, Gascón's rival in the November election, said that if elected, “we will return to a system in which criminals are held accountable for their actions.” He said he would not go after just the thieves but the entire chain of buyers who fuel the theft of catalytic converters.
The group later marched to City Hall, pushing for Bass to “provide full support and resources to the Los Angeles Police Department in this homicide investigation, beginning with the issuance of a minimum reward of $25,000 for any information leading to the arrest of the individuals responsible for Johnny’s death.” .”
City Councilman Kevin de León, who also spoke to the crowd at the scene of the shooting, said the council would adjourn its meeting in honor of Wactor.
“We welcome you to City Hall with open arms,” De León said. “Let's seek justice for Johnny Wactor.”
Wactor and his co-worker were walking to their car when they were “confronted by three individuals who had raised Wactor's vehicle with a floor jack and were in the process of stealing the catalytic converter,” police said. Catalytic converters are popular targets for thieves because they are rich in precious metals that can be resold.
All of the robbers were wearing dark clothing and driving a dark sedan that fled north on Hope Street, authorities said.
Wactor's co-worker, Anita Joy, said they thought the actor's car was being towed.
“We were no threat and Johnny remained calm as he always did, simply saying it was his car and to leave. Open hands at his sides in peace,” Joy posted on Instagram.
“Johnny was between the man who shot him and me; When I heard the gunshot in the night, he fell hard into my arms and as I grabbed him, I screamed, 'Honey, are you okay?'
“And he just said, 'No! Shooting!' “
A security guard at the bar, Bryan Barkley, came to help before paramedics took Wactor to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. On Wednesday, Barkley addressed the crowd and told them that the actor “was a true hero.”
