2 Teens Charged In Fatal Shooting On The Beach At Pier Village

LONG BRANCH, NJ — A pair of teenagers from Woodbridge are charged with the fatal shooting of a third Woodbridge teen earlier this month at Pier Village in Long Branch, according to Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond Santiago.

Chrystofer Whyte, 18, was shot dead with one single bullet on the night of June 12, on the beach at Pier Village. Whyte graduated from Woodbridge High School last spring, class of 2024. He was living in North Brunswick with his mother at the time of his death.

A teenager under 18, whose name was withheld by prosecutors due to his age, is the one who police say actually fired the gun. He is charged with murder, conspiracy, hindering and illegal weapons offenses, said the prosecutor.

Also charged is Dwayne Exilus, 18, of Woodbridge, who has been arrested before in connection with another shooting, that one in March of this year at the Linden Applebee's. Exilus is charged with second-degree conspiracy to commit unlawful possession of a weapon (the handgun), hindering and illegal weapons offenses in the death of Whyte.

It was 8:58 p.m. June 12 when Long Branch Police were called to the beach just off the Pier Village boardwalk for 911 calls of shots fired. A concert had just wrapped up that evening and the beach and boardwalk were very crowded; hundreds of people ran screaming when gunshots rang out, said witnesses. Upon arrival, officers discovered Whyte lying on the sand, suffering from a single gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

His death may have been related to a feud that started on TikTok, Whyte's best friend, Jaiden Roche, 19, previously told Patch.

Whyte was trying to make a living full time as a TikTok influencer. (His TikTok page, hi.imchrys, has 98,000 followers). It was on one of those videos that other young men started "antagonizing" him, said Roche.

"It was one of his TikTok Live videos a couple months ago," said Roche. "Some of these kids —they're from Linden — started calling him names in the comments during a TikTok Live video. I think this whole situation was about egos, back and forth online."

On June 12, Whyte posted what would be his final video to his profile. It was him sitting on the beach and he captioned it "Long Branch."

That's how the young men knew where to find him, said Roche. They came to Long Branch that day.

Police departments from Woodbridge, Linden and Metuchen helped arrest the two teens, said the Monmouth County Prosecutor.

Exilus has also been criminally charged before: He was charged in connection with a shooting at the Linden Applebee's in March of this year.

The shooting took place outside the Linden Applebee's — located in Aviation Plaza off Rt. 1 — just after midnight on March 23. Police say four men entered the restaurant, and after finding the victim, chased him out of the restaurant. Several shots were fired either inside or outside of the restaurant. No injuries were reported, and the four suspects fled the scene.

In the shooting, Exilus, was charged with fourth-degree obstruction. Woodbridge Teen Arrested In Connection With Linden Applebee's Shooting

Anyone who may have information about the June 12 fatal shooting of Chrystofer Whyte in Long Branch is urged to contact MCPO Detective Thomas Manzo at 800-533-7443 or Long Branch Police Detective Joseph Spitale at 732-222-1000 Ext 1339.

Prior: Woodbridge Teen Killed After Dispute That Started On TikTok, Best Friend Says (June 18)

Woodbridge High Grad Killed In Long Branch Beach Shooting Mourned (June 17)

Man Shot And Killed During Outdoor Beach Concert In Long Branch Thursday (June 13)