"I'm here to be his voice"— Johnny Wactor's coworker Anita Joy shares the actor's final moments before he was shot to death

Late actor Johnny Wactor's bartending co-worker, Anita Joy, spoke out about his final moments before his death. The 37-year-old died during a shooting in Los Angeles on Saturday, May 25, 2024. Joy took to her Instagram on Wednesday, May 29, to state:

"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."

Wactor is best known for playing Brando Corbin on the ABC soap opera General Hospital. Per a report by ABC7, he was shot after he interrupted three men attempting to remove a catalytic converter from his vehicle. Wactor initially thought that his car was being towed. He was rushed to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

In her Instagram post, Joy explained that the tragic incident took place early Saturday morning as she and Johnny Wactor were leaving their bartending shift at Level 8 in DTLA. She wrote:

"He was killed senselessly by a coward who reacted without care of the gorgeous life he was taking. So I'm angry, I'm sad and I'm of all feelings at once... but above all, I am here for Johnny's justice."

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"Johnny was between me and the man who shot him"- Anita Joy describes the incident that killed Johnny Wactor

Anita Joy, who was friends with Johnny Wactor for eight years, stated he was "beautiful, goofy as hell, full of work ethic and values," and treated everyone with "love, respect, (and) compassion." She explained that "everything happened in an instant." She explained:

"There are plenty of articles out now with the basic detials of this horrific story which comes down to a few criminals trying to steal a car part and all they took was my friends life."

She explained that the pair were heading towards the parking lot after their shift when they spotted the men near Johnny Wactor's car. Thinking that the "car was being towed," they "cautiously approached" the men, questioning them about what they were doing.

"We were no threat and Johnny kept his cool as he always did, simply stating that it was his car and for them to leave. Hands open to his sides in peace. Johnny was between me and the man who shot him," she continued.

Joy elaborated that the moment she heard the shot "ring in to the night," Wactor "forcefully tumbled back" into her arms. This prompted a worried Joy to ask him if he was okay, to which Wactor replied, "Nope! Shot!"

Both "toppled onto the street," and Joy tried to "hold his body up" while "screaming for help and screaming at him to stay with (her)." A security guard, Bryan, with Level 8, ran across the street to help them and called 911. Adding that she was "thankful" for Bryan showing up, she explained:

"We tied my denim jacket around him to stop the bleeding and Bryan proceeded to try CPR on him."

She continued:

"It was too close range, too extreme of a wound for him to survive it but my god, he fought to stay."

Anita reiterated her need to see the men brought to justice. She also called out Level 8 for not providing parking arrangements for their late-night staff as "originally promised." She added that Level 8 must "contribute" to the late actor's family to "honor and respect him for all the hard work and effort."

Joy concluded her IG message by stating that Johnny Wactor's family is on the "other side of the country" and it would be "a lot on them emotionally and financially to get Johnny home to them." She added links to the actor's GoFundMe page to support his family, which has already crossed its $10,000 goal.