Frustrated family and friends of General Hospital actor Johnny Wactor are demanding that progressive Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón seek the harshest punishment for the suspects who shot and killed the beloved actor.
More than 200 people gathered at the downtown Los Angeles site where the actor was shot and killed when he and his co-worker encountered three suspects attempting to steal the catalytic converter from Wactor’s car on May 25.
Officials with the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office said there have been some leads in the case, but so far no arrests have been made.
Standing outside the scene where Wactor was shot to death in the 1200 block of Hope Street, Wactor’s friend Micah Parker called on District Attorney George Gascón to push for the maximum sentence for the killers and for the city officials ‘step away from the barrier and do their jobs.’
“It’s the ideal place because the city and its leaders need to understand what soft crime policies lead to,” Parker said. ‘It takes us right here. “It is important to us that this story remains a priority for his family and friends because we love him and he deserves justice.”
More than 200 people marched in downtown Los Angeles on Wednesday and called on Los Angeles County Prosecutor George Gascón to seek the harshest punishment for Johnny Wactor’s killers.
People at the rally criticized Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón for his soft-on-crime policies.
Wactor, 37, played the character Brando Corbin on General Hospital from 2020 to 2022.
Gascón did not attend Wednesday’s rally, but his deputy chief, Joseph Iniguez, told participants he could not discuss how the case would be handled before the arrests were made.
Shawn Smith, also an actor, criticized Gascón for not taking a tougher stance on crimes such as theft and vandalism.
“Even here in Los Angeles, we’re supposed to be the most progressive… but I can’t safely walk down the street expressing myself without worrying about being shot, yelled at, stabbed or harassed,” Smith told Iniguez. “I understand that you don’t want to comment on the sentence, but we see a pattern.”
Wactor, 37, was leaving work at a rooftop bar with a co-worker in the early hours of May 25 when he saw three men trying to steal his catalytic converter.
The General Hospital star had accepted a job at the extravagant new nightclub Sinners and Santos, known for its live DJs and cathedral-themed decor, including large stained glass windows and spectacular views of the Los Angeles skyline.
He continued: “When we had George Floyd (protests), someone tampered with and vandalized the Metro train tracks. The train left the track and several people died inside. Gascón did not process that. Is that justice?
Iniguez said the District Attorney’s Office cannot build a case unless other law enforcement agencies present them with evidence.
“I understand the frustration with Mr. Gascón and I hear it,” Íñiguez said. ‘I want to make sure I focus on the work our prosecutors do every day. The court system deals with bail issues, and that’s the one you just mentioned.
He continued: ‘People are getting out, but the court system is dealing with bail. The police investigate and do a good job without us having cases to prosecute, although there is nothing we can do if we are not presented with a case.’
A frustrated Smith replied: ‘I heard a lot from you about criminals and that criminals have stories. Criminals have stories, but victims have them too.
‘When will our stories matter? When will our stories be important to your office?
Nathan Hochman, who will run in November to replace Gascón, attended the event and criticized the current district attorney for his lax policies.
Hochman, a former deputy U.S. attorney general who is running as an independent, said victims cannot rely on the justice system because Los Angeles has not had a district attorney to hold criminals accountable for their actions.
Johnny Wactor was shot at point-blank range and fell to the ground near his vehicle, his co-worker Anta Joy told DailyMail.com.
Wactor was rushed to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.
“Johnny’s situation has nothing to do with politics,” Hochman said. ‘It’s about having law enforcement officers in the district attorney’s office doing the job.
‘It doesn’t matter if you are a Democrat, independent or Republican. It’s about who will keep this town safe, keep you and your family safe, and take on Johnny’s legacy, and his legacy is, honestly, making sure there’s no more Johnny. That is the legacy.”
He continued: “That’s what a DA’s office absolutely must commit to: not only finding these three brutal killers and arresting them so that justice is served, but also making sure that we build a Los Angeles that doesn’t allow these people to steal the catalyst first.” converter first, and then they have even thought that they can kill a person in cold blood.’
Wactor was leaving his side job at a rooftop bar with a co-worker around 3:25 a.m. Saturday in the area of West Pico Boulevard and South Hope Street when he saw the three men near his vehicle.
Grant Wactor, Johnny’s younger brother, told DailyMail.com that Johnny thought he was being towed, so he approached the men.
One of the men then looked up and pointed a gun at Wactor, who put his body in front of his co-worker when he was shot, Grant Wactor said.
Anita Joy, Wactor’s co-worker, said her friend saved her life when he protected her from gunfire. Wactor breathed his last in her arms, he told DailyMail.com.
The three suspects, who police said were wearing masks, fled the scene in another car.
Johnny’s younger brother Grant (centre) confirmed his death to DailyMail.com and said he wasn’t surprised to hear his brother was putting others first at the time.
Wactor was shot in the chest and rushed to a nearby hospital where he was later pronounced dead.
The suspects remain at large, but Íñiguez said, “We have several leads.”
Grant Wactor, who also attended Wednesday’s rally, walked with the crowd of 200 as they marched toward Los Angeles City Hall.
‘My family and I don’t live here. But Johnny’s friends… Johnny has roots here,” Grant Wactor said. ‘Johnny still has roots here and will continue to have roots here. That’s why we want it to be a safer city for them. … We want it sooner than late.”