A 23-year-old man killed in a suspected mistaken-identity shooting during a Sydney home invasion has been named as Marco Tapia, a medical student and youth leader at Hillsong Church.
Mr Tapia was asleep in bed when three masked intruders forced their way into his family’s home on Mount Sugarloaf Drive in Glen Alpine, in Sydney’s south-west, about 3.40am on Tuesday. Police believe he was shot in the neck and arm in what may have been a botched gang-related execution targeting the wrong person.
His parents and sister were also inside the house when the terrifying attack unfolded.
The gunmen escaped after the shooting and are still being sought by authorities.
Investigators have said Mr Tapia had no links to gangs and was known to police only over minor traffic matters. He had a long-term girlfriend and was regarded as a young man with a promising future ahead.
He finished a Bachelor of Medical and Health Sciences in 2024, started studying for a Bachelor of Biomedical Engineering in January, and was partway through an internship in personalised surgery.
In his spare time, he volunteered with engineering outreach programs and was involved with his local Hillsong church as a youth leader.
Just a month ago, his engineering team at the University of Technology won an award for creating a scaffold for treating severe skeletal muscle defects.
Marco Tapia (pictured) had a bright future ahead of him before he was killed on Tuesday
Marco Tapia (pictured) was shot dead on Tuesday morning during a violent home invasion
He shared the win on LinkedIn and thanked all his teammates.
‘He was innocent,’ a family member said. ‘He didn’t deserve this.’
Police are investigating whether the shooting is linked to ongoing conflicts involving the Alameddine crime family and rival groups, including the Coconut Cartel.
Shortly after the deadly shooting, alleged Coconut Cartel leader Iziah Utai posted a chilling social media message that appeared to suggest the gunmen had targeted the wrong person.
‘Popped the wrong person, didn’t even get the right house,’ the post was captioned, alongside crying-laughing emojis.
The post also included a song by a rapper reportedly associated with the Alameddine crime network.
Utai is wanted by police over the alleged murder of underworld figure Dawood Zakaria last May, and has been regularly taunting the Alameddines on social media.
It is the second deadly home invasion in Sydney within three days after Emad Alameddine, 28, was shot dead at his Guildford home on Saturday night.
Marco Tapia, believed to be in his 20s, was shot dead in what may have been a case of mistaken identity during a home invasion in Glen Alpine on Tuesday morning
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Three intruders are understood to have broken into the Mount Sugarloaf Drive home in Glen Alpine, in Sydney’s southwest, and opened fire shortly before 4am on Tuesday
An ongoing feud between the Alameddine network and Coconut Cartel gang has allegedly been linked to multiple shootings and deaths across Sydney in recent months.
A search is under way for the home invaders, who fled the property before emergency services arrived on Tuesday morning.
Acting Superintendent Gretchen Atkins said police were aware of Utai’s post and were investigating whether the deadly attack was a case of mistaken identity.
‘We don’t know a lot at the moment, but everything is being considered,’ she said.
A neighbour who lives just metres away from the property told the Daily Mail Marco was a ‘quiet’ man who she’s seen several times.
‘He just zips in and out,’ she said, pointing to his black Honda still parked outside the driveway.
‘They’re a quiet family. It’s really shocking.’
While she didn’t hear any gunshots this morning, the woman said she had felt unnerved yesterday after seeing two hooded men sat in a white car outside of her driveway.
An Instagram account linked to Sydney’s Coconut Cartel gang shared a message shortly after the home invasion, saying ‘Popped the wrong person, didn’t even get the right house’
‘They were sat out there for hours and I remember seeing them and thinking it was weird. I joked (to my partner) that they were on a stake out, and, then…’ she said.
After growing annoyed at them parked outside her driveway, the woman asked her partner to sandwich the suspicious car with their rubbish bins.
She said the car then did a swift U turn and parked on the opposite side of the road, still directly facing the Tapai family home.
Another neighbour, who lives metres away from the house, told the Daily Mail they were shocked when they awoke to news of the shooting.
‘We saw on the news there had been a shooting in Glen Alpine but didn’t realise it was on our street,’ she said.
‘We didn’t hear anything.
‘It’s scary to know this happened so close to us. Our street is usually so quiet.’
Anyone with information about the incident is urged to contact Crime Stoppers.