Johnny Wactor's Final Words: Co-Worker Breaks Silence on 'General Hospital' Star's Chilling Last Moments After Fatal Shooting
May 30 2024, Published 11:31 a.m. ET
Johnny Wactor's final moments are being told by his co-worker who desperately tried to save his life. Anita Joy was with the General Hospital star when he was shot and killed on May 25, and she's revealing how he died in her arms that tragic morning, RadarOnline.com has learned.
As this outlet reported, Wactor was leaving his shift at a bar in Downtown L.A. and heading to his vehicle when he witnessed three men in the process of stealing his catalytic converter. "Without provocation, the victim was shot by one of the individuals," per an LAPD press release. The suspects are still at large.
Now, Joy is speaking out while demanding justice for her good friend after his senseless killing.
"I've needed to take some time to collect myself and my thoughts. I was with Johnny in his last moments and I’m here to be his voice after such unimaginable events," she began in a lengthy Instagram post on Wednesday night.
"Everything happened in an instant, I've come to describe it as a glass of water that gets tipped over and you're scrambling to grab it and save it from spilling out completely but it just runs through your fingertips and is gone."
Joy said they "cautiously approached the men, questioning what they were doing, at first thinking the car was being towed." Wactor's co-worker shared that Johnny "kept his cool," told the men it was his car, and asked them to leave.
"Johnny was between me and the man who shot him — as I heard the shot ring into the night, he forcefully tumbled back into my arms and as I grabbed for him, I shouted 'Hunny you ok?!' And he only responded 'Nope! Shot!'"
Joy revealed she pushed her legs under him and tried to hold his body up as she screamed for help. She said one of the security guards from their work ran to them and called 911.
"We tied my denim jacket around him to stop the bleeding and Bryan proceeded to try CPR on him," she shared.
Joy made it clear that Wactor fought to stay alive, adding they made every effort to save his life, but "it was too close range" and "too extreme of a wound." His co-worker said she's "utterly heartbroken" and "so very angry."
"My only peace is that I was with him and this didn't happen to him alone — my only other peace will be seeing these awful men brought to justice," Joy stated.
RadarOnline.com broke the story — the General Hospital actor's autopsy and cause of death were completed on Tuesday after 2:30 PM. The coroner's report revealed Wactor died from a fatal gunshot wound to the chest. No other significant injuries were listed.
The police are asking for the public's assistance in catching the culprits, telling anyone with information on the attempted robbery or murder to call the LAPD's Central Bureau Homicide line at 213-996-4142.
Wactor played Brando Corbin on the ABC soap opera in nearly 200 episodes from 2020 to 2022.