Soap Actor Dies From Gunshot Wound in LA

(RepublicanView.org) – A former soap opera star has been shot dead in Los Angeles. Johnny Wactor, who played the character Brando Corbin on General Hospital from 2020 to 2022, died from a gunshot wound after confronting a group of men attempting to steal the catalytic converter from his car in downtown LA.

The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) issued a statement saying the actor had just finished a bartending shift at 3:30 am and returned to his vehicle to find that thieves had raised it using a floor jack. “Without provocation, the victim was shot by one of the individuals,” the statement read. Wactor was reportedly with a friend and coworker, Anita Joy, at the time, who revealed that he was standing between her and the suspects when he was shot. According to her, she held him in her arms and cried out for help as he slipped away.

The three suspects reportedly fled the scene in a dark-colored Sedan. Paramedics transported Mr. Wactor to hospital, but the 37-year-old was pronounced dead on arrival. His brother Grant told reporters that his family was heartbroken and that they would transport his body home to Charleston, South Carolina. “It’s just a shame. It seems like it was just the wrong place, wrong time,” he said.

Tributes to the actor, who enjoyed a loyal and extensive fan base, poured onto social media. Former co-stars also paid tribute to Wactor. Sofia Matson, who played his on-screen wife, wrote that she was “utterly broken.” She described Wactor as a genuine, caring, and hard-working individual who had a huge heart and made great efforts to make others feel valued.

A statement on General Hospital’s Instagram account said the “whole General Hospital family” was heartbroken. It described the actor as “one of a kind” and a “pleasure to work with.”

Bonnie Boroughs, who played Wactor’s character’s mother, said her heart was aching for his real mother. “The world is darker now,” she added. Other co-stars also expressed shock and disbelief and described how much they would miss him.

While he was best known for his General Hospital role, Wactor also starred in the TV shows Army Wives, Animal Kingdom, Criminal Minds, and Westworld. He recently appeared in the movie Dead Talk Tales: Volume 1.