Who was Chrystofer Whyte? Popular TikTok star with 1,00,000 followers killed in New Jersey beach shooting
Two suspects are now in custody: one is an underage teen facing murder charges in juvenile detention, while 18-year-old Dwayne Exilus is charged with helping get the weapon used in the crime.
Whyte had over 100,000 TikTok followers under the username @hi.imchrys and had posted two videos earlier that day, including one from the same beach where he was killed just hours later.
Whyte's last TikTok showed him relaxing in a beach chair with the caption 'Stay away from ppl that ignore you until they need you," a message now haunting his fans.
Before his social media fame, he was a football player and wrestler at Woodbridge High School. His former coach, Joseph LaSala, remembered him as 'an unbelievable kid' who brought 'energy and enthusiasm every day."
Friends describe him as deeply loved, with one writing: 'This tragedy has a huge impact on his family... It's my duty to make sure he goes out with a bang.". A GoFundMe for funeral costs has raised over $16,000 from heartbroken supporters.
Police haven't shared what sparked the shooting, though witnesses reported a fight on the beach before gunfire erupted. The Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office and Long Branch Police continue investigating why the popular teen, who posted hopeful messages like 'everything will work out' just days earlier, was targeted.
The juvenile suspect faces six charges, including murder and weapons offenses, while Exilus is charged with four counts related to illegal gun possession.
Authorities urge anyone with information to contact detectives as they piece together this tragedy that cut short a life brimming with potential.
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