A young man with no known links to organised crime has been shot dead after intruders stormed a family home in Sydney’s south-west, with police investigating a social media post suggesting the gunmen may have targeted the wrong house.
Marco Tapia, believed to be in his 20s, was shot in the neck and arm after three masked men broke into the Mount Sugarloaf Drive home in Glen Alpine and opened fire shortly before 4am on Tuesday.
The unknown offenders fled the scene shortly before police arrived and remain on the run.
Three other family members, understood to be Mr Tapia’s mother, father and sister, were inside the home at the time. Police later escorted them from the property.
Police are now investigating whether Mr Tapia, who is not known to police and not believed to be linked to organised crime, was shot in a case of mistaken identity.
Shortly after the shooting, an Instagram account reportedly linked to Sydney’s Coconut Cartel gang shared a message.
‘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.
A young man was shot dead during a home invasion in Glen Alpine on Tuesday morning
Three intruders are understood to have broken into the Mount Sugarloaf Drive home in Glen Alpine and opened fire shortly before 4am on Tuesday
Police are investigating whether the man was killed in a case of mistaken identity
An Instagram account linked to Sydney’s Coconut Cartel gang shared a message shortly after the fatal home invasion
Police have not confirmed the post is connected to the killing but are aware of it and are examining it as part of their investigation.
It is understood that Mr Tapia was not known to police and had no known involvement in organised crime.
Police established a crime scene at the home as detectives searched for evidence and door-knocked neighbours.
Detectives from the State Crime Command’s Homicide Squad are investigating.
Police are scheduled to reveal more details on Tuesday morning.
Anyone with information about this incident is urged to contact Crime Stoppers.
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.
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.
