On the evening of June 12, 2025, 18-year-old Chrystofer Whyte, a male from North Brunswick, was fatally shot on the beach in Long Branch, New Jersey. The incident occurred just before 9 p.m. near the shoreline by Pier Village, a popular and bustling beachfront community. Hours before his death, Whyte, a budding TikTok star with over 100,000 followers, had posted a video of himself relaxing in a beach chair on the very same sand where his life would be tragically cut short.
Emergency
responders found Whyte with a single gunshot wound and he was pronounced dead at the scene. Before gaining social media fame for his energetic videos, Whyte was a student-athlete at Woodbridge High School, where he played football and wrestled. His death, just two days before his 19th birthday, sent shockwaves through his online community and hometown, where he was remembered as an 'unbelievable kid' with infectious energy. Witnesses reported that a physical altercation may have taken place on the beach shortly before the shooting.
The investigation into the homicide was conducted by the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office and the Long Branch Police Department. Their efforts led to the arrest of two individuals in connection with the shooting. One suspect, a juvenile whose name was not released due to his age, was charged with murder, conspiracy, and several weapons offenses. The second suspect was identified as 18-year-old Dwayne Exilus of Woodbridge. Exilus was charged with multiple offenses, including conspiracy to commit unlawful possession of a weapon, unlawful possession of a weapon, and hindering apprehension. Authorities did not publicly release a motive for the shooting but urged anyone with information or video footage of the incident to come forward.
