Los Angeles police release images of suspects in fatal shooting of actor Johnny Wactor

Security images of the suspects in the May 25 shooting death of “General Hospital” actor Johnny Wactor in downtown Los Angeles were released Sunday by Los Angeles police.

Wactor, 37, was killed after confronting three men who jacked up his car on Hope Street near Pico Boulevard in order to steal its catalytic converter, authorities said. He had just finished a late night bartending shift at the nearby Level 8 bar when he was shot about 3:20 a.m.

Police said the man who shot him has a tattoo above his left eye and on the right cheek, according to a Community Alert Notification released Sunday on X. The getaway car was described as a stolen 2018, black, four-door Infiniti Q50 with a tan interior.

Police also released grainy security images of the three suspects and of the Q50 driving down the street. The suspects fled northbound on Hope Street after the shooting.

Police attempted to pull fingerprints from Wactor’s car and link the crime to any nearby catalytic converter thefts. The police are seeking the public’s help in solving the crime.

Wactor starred as Brando Corbin on “General Hospital” from 2020-22. He also had roles on shows including “Westworld,” “Criminal Minds” and “Station 19.”

Wactor was walking with co-worker Anita Joy, who had just finished a bartending shift with him, when he approached the men, thinking his car was being towed, according to an account of the shooting posted by Joy on Instagram.

After realizing that wasn’t the case, he asked the men to leave, with his hands held out open at his sides to indicate he wasn’t a threat. Nevertheless, he was then shot, she said, at close range. A security guard from the bar called 911, Joy said.

Thieves target catalytic converters because they contain precious metals including rhodium, palladium and platinum. They can sell for hundreds of dollars to auto parts suppliers or scrap yards, where they can be melted down and the valuable metals extracted.

Thefts of catalytic converters skyrocketed in California during the COVID-19 pandemic. That prompted new state laws that make it illegal for recyclers to buy the parts from anyone other than the vehicle’s legal owner or a licensed dealer. Penalties were increased for buyers who fail to certify that a catalytic converter wasn’t stolen.

Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call Central Bureau detectives Howarth at (213) 996-4143 or Bobadilla at (213) 996-4173.