(ProsperNews.net) – Former General Hospital actor Johnny Wactor was shot dead during an attempted robbery in Los Angeles. The 37-year-old was pronounced dead on arrival in hospital after encountering three masked men surrounding his car while returning from a bartending shift in downtown LA. A spokesperson for the Los Angeles Police Department said the robbers were trying to steal the catalytic converter from Mr. Wactor’s vehicle and shot him “without provocation.”
The incident happened at around 3.30 am on May 25 when Wactor walked a co-worker to her vehicle. On his way, he saw that his own car had been raised on a floor jack, and his colleague explained that he initially thought they were towing it away. When he realized they were masked, he quickly placed himself in front of his female colleague to protect her before a single shot rang out. The three thieves fled in a dark Sedan.
Tributes to the actor appeared on social media, including from his former on-screen wife, Sofia Matson, who said she was “utterly broken.” Matson described the actor as a caring and genuine person with a huge heart who always went out of his way to make other people feel valued. A statement on General Hospital’s Instagram account stated that the “whole General Hospital family” was devastated. It described the actor as “one of a kind” and a “pleasure to work with.”
Law enforcement data indicates that catalytic converter theft is one of the most common car-related crimes in the US, and the number of incidents has exploded over the past decade. The National Insurance Crime Bureau says the devices are lucrative because they contain palladium, rhodium, and platinum. In 2023, the value of rhodium was four times higher than gold at $8,000 an ounce.
The most commonly targeted vehicle in America is the Ford F-series pick-up truck because its height allows thieves easier access to steal the device. In second and third places are the Honda Accord and Toyota Prius.
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