American actor Johnny Wactor was tragically shot dead in Los Angeles by a thief attempting to steal a part from his car. The 37-year-old suffered fatal injuries after confronting three men who were trying to remove the catalytic converter from his parked vehicle.

Wactor, known for his role in the US soap opera *General Hospital*, was pronounced dead early on Saturday. His agent, David Shaul, told *Variety* that Wactor was an “outstanding human being” and would “literally give you the shirt off his back.” Shaul added, “After over a decade together, he will leave a hole in our hearts forever.”

Wactor’s mother, Scarlett, told NBC4 that her son was returning to his car after work when he encountered a man tampering with it. Mistaking the situation for a towing incident and not sensing danger, he approached the man to inquire. He was then immediately shot. The suspect fled with two other men, leaving the scene. Scarlett described her son’s killing as “senseless.”

Catalytic converters are frequent targets for thieves due to the precious metals they contain, which can be sold for a high price. The incident occurred at the corner of West Pico Boulevard and South Hope Street in downtown LA. No arrests have been made yet.

Producers at *General Hospital* paid tribute to Wactor, saying the South Carolina-born actor was “truly one of a kind and a pleasure to work with each and every day.” In addition to his two-year stint on the show, Wactor also starred in the 2013 NBC series *Siberia* and appeared in two episodes of HBO’s Westworld.