Teen Arrested in Deadly Shooting of Cordova, NC, Junior Firefighter

Cordova junior firefighter Gabriel Ennis was fatally shot at a home in June and now a teenager faces murder charges.

July 31, 2025

Law enforcement officials said they have arrested a teenager in connection with the deadly shooting of a Cordova Fire & Rescue junior firefighter in June.

Gabriel Ennis, 16, was shot in a home near Ellerbee on June 22.

Richmond County Sheriff's Office told WCNC that a 17-year-old turned themselves in and they are being in juvenile custody with no bond.

They were charged with first-degree murder.

The sheriff's office did not share what led to the shooting.

"Gabe Ennis was the kind of individual any agency would be proud to have on their roster," Cordova Fire & Rescue shared. "From the moment he walked through our doors, Gabe was eager to learn and embraced every bit of knowledge shared by his fellow members."

About the Author

Peter Matthews

Editor-in-Chief/Conference Director

Peter Matthews is the conference director and editor-in-chief of Firehouse. He has worked at Firehouse since 1999, serving in various roles on both Firehouse Magazine and Firehouse.com staffs. He completed an internship with the Rochester, NY, Fire Department and served with fire departments in Rush, NY, and Laurel, MD, and was a lieutenant with the Glenwood Fire Company in Glenwood, NY. Matthews served as photographer for the St. Paul, MN, Fire Department and currently is a photographer for the Fort Worth, TX, Fire Department.