Los Angeles police on Sunday released security footage of the suspects in the May 25 fatal shooting of “General Hospital” actor Johnny Wactor in downtown Los Angeles.
Wactor, 37, was killed after confronting three men who jacked up his car on Hope Street near Pico Boulevard to steal his catalytic converter, authorities said. He had just finished a late-night bartending shift at the nearby Level 8 bar when he was shot about 3:20 a.m.
Police said the man who shot him has a tattoo above his left eye and on his right cheek, according to a Community Alert Notice posted Sunday on X. The getaway car was described as a stolen black 2018 Infiniti Q50 four-door with a tan interior.
Police also released blurry security footage of the three suspects and the Q50 driving down the street. The suspects fled north on Hope Street after the shooting.
Police are attempting to obtain fingerprints from Wactor's car and link the crime to catalytic converter thefts that have occurred nearby. Police are asking for the public's help in solving the crime.
Wactor played Brando Corbin on “General Hospital” from 2020 to 2022. He also had roles in shows like “Westworld,” “Criminal Minds” and “Station 19.”
Wactor was walking with co-worker Anita Joy, who had just finished a bar shift with him, when she approached the men, thinking her car was being towed, according to an account of the shooting posted by Joy on Instagram.
Realizing that wasn't the case, he asked the men to leave, holding his hands open at his sides to indicate he posed no threat. Instead, they shot him at point-blank range, Joy said. A security guard at the bar called 911, Joy said.
Thieves target catalytic converters because they contain precious metals, such as rhodium, palladium and platinum. They can be sold for hundreds of dollars to auto parts suppliers or scrap yards, where they can be melted down and the valuable metals extracted.
Catalytic converter thefts have skyrocketed in California during the COVID-19 pandemic. That led to new state laws prohibiting recyclers from purchasing the parts from anyone other than the legal owner of the vehicle or a licensed dealer. Penalties have been increased for buyers who fail to certify that a catalytic converter has not been stolen.
Anyone with information regarding the shooting is asked to call detectives at the Howarth Headquarters at (213) 996-4143 or Bobadilla at (213) 996-4173.
