GoFundMe Started For Woodbridge High Grad Fatally Shot On Long Branch Beach

LONG BRANCH, NJ — The teen shot and killed last Thursday night on the beach at Pier Village in Long Branch has been identified as Chrystofer A. Whyte, 18, of North Brunswick, according to the Monmouth County Prosecutor.

Although Whyte grew up in North Brunswick, he attended Woodbridge High School, where he played football and wrestled, reports News 12. He graduated from Woodbridge High School in 2024. Whyte was described as an outstanding athlete and his TikTok profile often shows him doing backflips and dancing. His last photo posted to TikTok shows him on the beach in Long Branch last Thursday, wearing a bathing suit and sitting in a beach chair.

This GoFundMe page was started by his best friend to help pay for his funeral expenses.

Whyte was fatally shot on the beach directly in front of Pier Village at 8:58 p.m. Thursday, just as the first concert of the summer, Long Branch's "Thursdays By The Sea" outdoor summer concert series, was wrapping up that evening. The beach, boardwalk and gazebo at Pier Village were very crowded, and people started running and screaming as the sound of gunshots rang out that night, said eyewitnesses.

When Long Branch Police and EMTs got there, they found Whyte lying on the sand, suffering from one single gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the scene. No arrests have been made as of Monday.

Police ask that anyone who may have been on the beach, or in the vicinity at the time, and has firsthand video footage of the incident on their phones or electronic devices, to please come forward. Police are aware of videos posted to local social media platforms. They are not looking for links to videos from others. Anyone with relevant video footage of the incident can upload that video at:

https://monmouthcountyponj.evi...
Anyone who may have information regarding this incident 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.