‘General Hospital’ Actor Johnny Wactor’s Mother Says Coworker He Protected Will Attend Funeral

US News

By Elizabeth Stanton, Christina Dugan Ramirez, Fox News

Funeral plans have been made for Johnny Wactor, his mother confirmed to Fox News Digital by phone.

Her brother, Grant, initially posted the update on social media, and Scarlett Wactor said the family would hold a reception and funeral at Sommerville Baptist Church, Sommerville, South Carolina, on June 15 .

Scarlett said friends from her theater group in Los Angles are also planning a private “no press or fans” memorial for Wactor, which she hopes to attend if she is able.

She also confirmed that his colleague Anita Joy, who he protected in his final moments, would attend the funeral, saying: “I’m very excited… it will be nice to be able to see her and be able to meet her as well.”

Joy shared her final moments on Instagram last Wednesday.

“Johnny was between me and the man who shot him,” she wrote. “As I heard the gunshot ring out in the night, he fell forcefully into my arms. As I grabbed it, I shouted “Honey, are you okay?!” And he only replied: “No!” Shot!’ We fell into the street where I pushed my legs under him and tried to hold his body upright while screaming for help and yelling for him to stay with me.

“I am so grateful to have been a part of his world and he was a part of mine. My heart is broken by his loss but I believe I have gained the best guardian angel there is. I love you Johnny Wacky,” Joy concluded.

On Wednesday, the Los Angeles County medical examiner concluded that the manner of death was a “homicide” and that the direct cause was a “gunshot wound to the chest.”

Scarlett has not received any updates from the LAPD as police continue to search for the suspects, who fled the scene wearing dark clothing and driving a dark-colored sedan, according to a press release obtained by Fox News Digital.

“I hope that’s a good thing because my thinking is, generally…whatever they have, they have to follow the lead, follow it, why would you call the mother and say, ‘Yeah, we have something thing ? Or even if they have something, you know they won’t tell me. I understand that. Scarlett said.

She added: “Fingers crossed they have something and maybe we’ll hear something soon.”

A GoFundMe to support the family’s travel as needed had already been started by Wactor’s godmother, Michaelle Kinard, and Scarlett said another project was in the works “to go toward any rewards we might offer if the detectives need it” and if the perpetrators are arrested. before they get to the point of offering a reward, they will refund all the money given.

As the family waits for news, Scarlett is now focused on getting justice for her son.

“We need change. Johnny’s death doesn’t have to be in vain. This whole city needs to change, which I can’t even vote for or do anything of course, but just continually push for it and keep the pressure on for as long as it takes for this place to change. I mean, it’s sad, but I wish it was safe for other people who live there. No one else needs to die, even though I know I can’t stop everything. I would like to see changes made because of this.

Scarlett said she began researching how to work with local Los Angeles politicians to campaign for changes, including Los Angeles 14th District Councilmember Kevin de Leon.

De Leon released a statement on social media on Saturday, saying he was “deeply heartbroken by the tragic and senseless murder of Johnny Wactor.”

“I have been in contact with Johnny’s mother to offer the deepest condolences of everyone in our town and to assure her that we are committed to ensuring that justice is served for Johnny. I am working closely with the LAPD Central Homicide Division to ensure they dedicate the necessary resources and support to conduct a thorough and timely investigation,” the statement continued.

He concluded: “Our community deserves to feel safe, and we will not rest until those responsible are held accountable for their actions. I would urge anyone with information about this incident to come forward to help with the investigation.

In particular, Scarlett hopes to see changes regarding parking provision and the protection of employees working in downtown Los Angeles.

“If you are a bar there and you stay open after 10 p.m. or midnight, you should provide parking. You should provide an escort. I mean, it’s just stupid. And they can do it. These are multi-million dollar companies. They must do it. And for me, the city must encourage them to do so. That would help,” she said.

Wactor worked at Level 8, a rooftop bar, and was leaving work with Joy in the early hours of May 25 when he encountered three people trying to steal the catalytic converter from his car, police confirmed.

In an interview with the Daily Mail, Joy said staff had been complaining for months about the lack of parking spaces available to them, but their concerns had been brushed aside.

“Everyone wants to go out, get drunk, have a good time and party, but the people who serve them are in danger when they go home because we leave after everyone is already in bed, and we have to be protected,” she told the outlet. “We need our employers to care about us and make things happen, rather than just saying, ‘Oh, we’ll have a security guard come with you.’ There was a security guard on site who performed CPR on Johnny afterwards.

On Friday, Level 8 shared a statement regarding Wactor’s death and the safety measures it plans to implement moving forward.

“At Level 8, we take security very seriously,” the message said. “Since we opened, we have offered our staff the opportunity to escort security to the nearby car park outside of opening hours. And in light of this tragic incident, we have spoken with our team and professionals in the field and are actively seeking additional safety measures for our staff.

“We understand that a tragedy like this affects everyone differently and deeply. We are committed to providing a safe and supportive environment for everyone at Level 8.”

In a since-deleted comment, one user wrote: “Most of the security guards leave before us for those of us who work at the club. Let’s park at the hotel. Valet refuses to let staff park even though we are willing to pay. »

A representative for Mark and Jonnie Houston of Houston Hospitality, who are partners in Level 8, did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment at the time.

Scarlett said the bar has not been in contact with her. In a previous interview with Fox News Digital, she pointed out that her workplace did not have designated parking for employees.