Johnny Wactor's friends, family call for crime reform after actor's shooting death in DTLA

Johnny Wactor's friends, family call for justice

The family and friends of Johnny Wactor, the actor known for his role in General Hospital, gathered in North Hollywood to march and demand justice for his shooting death in downtown Los Angeles.

LOS ANGELES - Hundreds of people gathered in North Hollywood Saturday, to mourn the shooting death of actor Johnny Wactor last month, and to call for crime reform in Los Angeles.

Wactor was shot and killed in downtown LA on May 25, after police said he and a coworker interrupted thieves trying to steal his catalytic converter. Family and friends converged on North Hollywood Saturday to retrace the jogging path the General Hospital actor would like to run, calling for change.

Wactor's mother, Scarlett Wactor, was in attendance. Speaking at the event, she said that she doesn't "have my son anymore because of a pro-criminal city, in my opinion."

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: 'General Hospital' actor Johnny Wactor shot dead confronting catalytic converter thieves

Dozens more in attendance echoed the mom's sentiment, calling for change.

"He stood up heroically against a criminal, and he lost his life in the process," said City Council President Paul Krekorian. "And I think for many of us in Los Angeles [we] are fed up with seeing crime just overlooked."

Krekorian told FOX 11 that he believes crime is being underprosecuted in LA County, and that penalties need to be strengthened, but acknowledged that metal thefts, like the one that led to Wactor's death, have long been a problem in the city.

"We have organized crime, essentially, in these metal dealers who are purchasing these stolen items, and we are right now in Los Angeles, we have a couple task forces of LAPD designed to get to the upstream part of that network."

While they may be a step in the right direction for some, friends and family members are still unsatisfied with the investigation into who killed Wactor.

"One of my best friends was shot and killed in downtown LA on May 25," said Micah Parker. "It's been four weeks. There's still no arrests. No suspects have been named."