USS Indianapolis actor shot dead during attempted car theft

American actor Johnny Wactor was tragically shot dead in Los Angeles while trying to prevent the theft of a part from his car.

The 37-year-old actor, known for his role in the US soap opera General Hospital, sustained fatal injuries when he interrupted three men attempting to steal the catalytic converter from his parked vehicle. He was pronounced dead early on Saturday.

Wactor's agent, David Shaul, described him as an "outstanding human being" in a statement to Variety. "He would literally give you the shirt off his back," Shaul said. "After over a decade together, he will leave a hole in our hearts forever.”

Wactor's mother, Scarlett, told NBC4 that her son had just finished work and was returning to his car when he saw a man tampering with it. Thinking his car was being towed, he approached the man to ask what was happening and was immediately shot. The suspect fled with two other men, and Scarlett described her son's killing as "senseless."

The incident occurred at the corner of West Pico Boulevard and South Hope Street in downtown LA. No arrests have been made.

Wactor played a major role in the 2016 film USS Indianapolis: Men of Courage, which chronicled the story of an American navy ship that was sunk by a Japanese submarine during World War II. The ship was sunk on July 30, 1945, shortly after delivering components of the atomic bombs that were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, in the shark-infested Philippian Sea. Wactor played the character Connor in the action-packed movie.

Wactor’s brother, Grant, told the LA Times that Johnny had been working as a bartender and was walking a co-worker to her car when he was killed. "He was one of the most charismatic people I knew. When he talked or listened, you could tell it was genuine,” his brother said. “He lived life his way. He did exactly what he wanted, even to his last day. He walked the walk.”

A tribute from the producers of General Hospital remembered Wactor, a South Carolina native, as "truly one of a kind and a pleasure to work with each and every day."

In addition to his role as Brando Corbin on General Hospital, Wactor also appeared in the 2013 NBC series Siberia and two episodes of HBO's Westworld.

Catalytic converters are often targeted by thieves because they contain precious metals that can be sold.

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