Wactor, 37, was walking the unidentified woman, whom he worked with during a late bartending shift, back to her vehicle when he noticed three thieves at his car at around 3:25 a.m. on Saturday (May 25) in Los Angeles, his brother, Grant, told the Daily Mail.

“We’re Southern, born and raised, and we would never let a female walk to their car by herself,” Grant said. “He came across them and he thought his truck was being towed. So he said something to the guys, like, ‘Hey, are you towing?’

“And then once he turned around, he saw what was happening and he put his coworker behind him. And that’s when they shot him.”

Wactor was reportedly backing away and attempting to protect the woman when the men opened fire, Grant told the outlet, citing the Los Angeles Police Department's assessment of the incident. The masked thieves fled the scene in a separate vehicle and weren't identified as of Monday's (May 27) update.

“We are completely devastated,” Wactor’s grandmother, Barbara, told the Daily Mail. “He was just walking to his car. It’s senseless.”

Wactor worked as a bartender between acting gigs and was working later than expected prior to his death, his mother, Scarlett, told NBC News.

“There is a huge hole in all of us, and there is no fixing that,” Scarlett said.

Wactor is best known for his role as Brando Corbin the ABC soap opera General Hospital, appearing in 164 episodes between 2020 and 2022. The actor also made appearances on the NBC supernatural drama Siberia and made a guest appearance on the CBS crime drama Criminal Minds.

“Johnny Wactor was spectacular human being. Not just a talented actor who was committed to his craft but a real moral example to everyone who knew him. Standing for hard work, tenacity and a never give up attitude. In the highs and lows of a challenging profession he always kept his chin up and kept striving for the best he could be,” said David Shaul, a talent agent who represented the actor, in a statement to Variety. “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.”