Tragedy struck in the early morning hours of May 25 when 37-year-old actor Johnny Wactor was shot dead in Los Angeles by thieves stealing his catalytic converter. It’s just the kind of situation we’ve been warning would be the result of unchecked theft in many cities, but we hate to see it actually happen.
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According to Daily Mail, Wactor, who was on General Hospital, was working a side job at a rooftop bar in the chic South Park area of Los Angeles. The incident happened as he was walking a female coworker to her vehicle and saw some men around his car.
Believing the men were getting ready to tow his vehicle, he approached and asked them about it. That’s when one produced a gun. Reportedly, Wactor instinctively put himself between the aggressors and his coworker while backing up.
Even though he reportedly didn’t show aggression towards or try to stop the thieves, one of them shot him in the chest, killing him. Then the three men ran off.
We’ve been told repeatedly, including by police, that armed thieves won’t shoot you if you don’t try stopping them from taking your stuff. Yet there are examples of the opposite happening, which are conveniently ignored.
When stealing people’s property goes unchecked in the name of “justice” the result is criminals are emboldened. And when that happens, they often turn violent, so being compliant doesn’t necessarily mean you won’t be hurt or killed.
Wactor’s brother told Daily Mail the actor was a great guy and that they were raised to be “Southern gentlemen” so he wasn’t surprised that his brother was walking a female coworker to her car, nor that he put himself in harm’s way to save her. Unfortunately, we lost a good man for a senseless reason.
Image via GeneralHospital/X
The entire General Hospital family is heartbroken to hear of Johnny Wactor’s untimely passing. He was truly one of a kind and a pleasure to work with each and every day. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his loved ones during this difficult time. pic.twitter.com/2wlIM1TpAB
— General Hospital (@GeneralHospital) May 27, 2024