Actor Johnny Wactor ‘died in my arms’ after downtown LA capturing, co-worker mentioned

Anita Joy, who was with Johnny Wactor when he was fatally shot in downtown Los Angeles, mentioned the previous “General Hospital” actor died in her arms after the pair “cautiously approached” suspects who seemed to be towing his automotive, however had been really making an attempt to steal a catalytic converter.

“We had been no risk and Johnny stored his cool as he at all times did, merely stating that it was his automotive and for them to depart, fingers open to his sides in peace,” Joy, who labored with Wactor at an area bar, wrote on Instagram. “Johnny was between me and the person who shot him — as I heard the shot ring into the evening, he forcefully tumbled again into my arms and as I grabbed for him, I shouted ‘hunny you okay?!’ And he solely responded ‘Nope! Shot!’

“We toppled onto the road the place I pushed my legs below him and tried to carry his physique up whereas screaming for assist and screaming at him to stick with me.”

According to Joy, a safety guard from their office was close by and ran to them whereas calling 911, then tied a jacked round Wactor in hopes of stopping the bleeding, and tried to carry out CPR.

“It was too shut vary, too excessive of a wound for him to outlive it however my god, he fought to remain,” Joy wrote. “I’m totally heartbroken and so very indignant. My solely peace is that I used to be with him and this didn’t occur to him alone — my solely different peace might be seeing these terrible males delivered to justice.”

The 37-year-old actor had ended his shift as a bartender and was strolling to his car with Joy within the 1200 block of Hope Street, close to West Pico Boulevard, at about 3:25 a.m. Saturday, in response to the Los Angeles Police Department.

“When Wactor arrived at his car, he was confronted by three people who had Wactor’s car raised up with a ground jack and had been within the strategy of stealing the catalytic converter,” police mentioned in an announcement. “Without provocation, the sufferer was shot by one of many people.

“The three suspects concerned had been carrying all darkish clothes and driving a darkish coloured sedan. The suspects fled northbound on Hope Street.”

Paramedics rushed Wactor to a hospital, the place he was pronounced dead.

Catalytic converters are standard targets for thieves as a result of they’re wealthy in treasured metals that may be resold.

Wactor appeared on practically 200 episodes of “General Hospital” from 2020-22. His different credit included “Westworld,” “The OA,” “NCIS,” “Station 19,” “Criminal Minds” and “Hollywood Girl.”

Joy wrote lovingly of Wactor in her Instagram publish, writing, “My pal of 8 years went from laughing collectively, working facet by facet, leaving our bartending shift and strolling to our vehicles, to him dying in my arms within the streets of DTLA at the hours of darkness hours of 3am.”