The mother of General Hospital actor Johnny Wactor described her son as a “hero” after he was shot and killed while shielding another person during a car parts theft on Sunday morning in Los Angeles. He was 37 years old.
Johnny, who played Brando Corbin on General Hospital from 2020 to 2022, was killed when he approached a group of three masked thieves allegedly attempting steal a catalytic converter from his parked vehicle.
The actor’s mother, Scarlett Corbin, told USA Today her son had been unaware of the robbery when he confronted the thieves and believed his car was being towed.
Prior to the incident, Scarlett said Johnny and a co-worker had been leaving his second job at a downtown bar around 3 a.m.
She said when Johnny approached the thieves at his car, one of the masked persons pulled out a handgun. The actor then “stepped in front of the coworker, and he was shot,” she described.
The three thieves fled the scene.
The Los Angeles Police Department, who did not name Johnny directly, responded to the shooting. There have yet to be any arrests.
Scarlett told USA Today the person who shot her son is “evil” and called the trio of thieves “cowards.”
“I’m thankful that that person is OK,” she said of the unnamed coworker, adding she was glad Johnny was not alone when he died.
“As a parent, you never expect to bury a child,” Scarlett said.
The investigation is ongoing, with the LAPD still searching for suspects.
Johnny appeared in nearly 200 episodes of General Hospital. He remained a recurring character in the series until 2022, when the character was written off.
He also appeared in NCIS, Westworld and Criminal Minds, and had many other acting roles.
Wactor’s agent, David Shaul, told People magazine that Wactor was “not just a talented actor” but also “a real moral example to everyone who knew him.”
“In the highs and lows of a challenging profession he always kept his chin up and kept striving for the best he could be,” Shaul praised. “Our time with Johnny was a privilege we would wish on everyone. He would literally give you the shirt off his back. After over a decade together, he will leave a hole in our hearts forever.”
Catalytic converter theft
The theft of catalytic converters is common. The exhaust emission control device — which is made from a variety of precious metals, including platinum, palladium and cadmium — is commonly stolen and resold for its valuable parts.
Last year in British Columbia alone, the theft of catalytic converters accounted for more than $8 million in claims to the province’s insurance corporation, ICBC. Some Canadian municipalities have encouraged drivers to have their converters etched with the last eight digits of their VIN to better prevent and track theft.