TikTok Influencer Chrystofer Whyte, 18, f@tally shot on crowded beach hours after posting videos from the same location

 

Chrystofer A. Whyte, an 18-year-old TikTok influencer,  Chrystofer Whyte popularly known as hi.imchrys, was fatally shot on a crowded beach in Long Branch, New Jersey, just hours after posting videos from the same location.

Whyte, a high school athlete with over 100,000 TikTok followers, was struck at least once near Pier Village shortly before 9 p.m. on June 12, according to the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
A juvenile suspect was arrested this week and charged with murder and unlawful possession of a weapon. Authorities have not released his name or age due to his minor status. An alleged accomplice, 18-year-old Dwayne Exilus, was also charged with second-degree conspiracy and unlawful possession of a weapon.

Investigators are still working to determine a motive. Friends told local media that Whyte had recently been targeted by local teens who mocked him during his TikTok live streams, though it’s unclear if the suspects were involved.


Just hours before he was killed, Whyte posted two final videos, including one filmed from the beach where he later died. In another clip, he wrote: “Stay away from ppl that ignore you until they need you.”


Beyond his social media presence, Whyte was a student athlete at Woodbridge High School, where he played football and wrestled. His former coach, Joseph LaSala, remembered him as “an unbelievable kid,” adding, “He brought energy and enthusiasm every day. He was respectful, focused, and a joy to coach. This is heartbreaking.”

Police responded to the shooting at 8:58 p.m. and have since charged two suspects in connection with the case.