19-Year-Old ‘Step By Step’ Actor Shot

LOS ANGELES (AP) _ Actor Brandon Call, who plays J.T. Lambert on the ABC-TV series ``Step by Step,″ was shot while trying to elude two people who chased his car, police said today.

Call, 19, also known for his earlier role as the young boy Hobie on ``Baywatch,″ was wounded in both arms and was able to drive to University of California, Los Angeles, Medical Center. He was listed in good condition.

The actor told police he was driving on the city’s west side Tuesday evening when he realized he was being followed by a man and woman in a car, said Lt. Anthony Alba.

``He tried to get away from them but they chased him to a cul-de-sac and opened fire,″ said Officer Mike Partain.

The motive for the shooting wasn’t immediately determined.

Call has ``full range of motion″ in his arms, hospital spokeswoman Simi Singer said. She wouldn’t disclose whether surgery was needed.

The actor’s representative at SDB Partners did not return a call.

``Step by Step,″ a family comedy, stars Patrick Duffy and Suzanne Sommers.

Another actor in the series, Sasha Mitchell, was arrested last week in Tennessee, accused of violating probation by leaving Los Angeles without finishing court-ordered domestic violence counseling.

Mitchell, who plays the dopey character Cody on the series, served part of a two-month jail sentence earlier this year. He has a home in Cowan, Tenn., 40 miles west of Chattanooga.

Call gained prominence in the 1989-1990 season as the child Hobie on ``Baywatch.″ Since the show was revived in 1991, another actor, Jeremy Jackson, has played Hobie, but the earlier shows with Call can still be seen in syndication.