‘He didn’t deserve this’: University student shot dead, latest victim of mistaken identity
A man has been killed in a violent home invasion in Sydney’s south-west on Tuesday morning in what police are investigating as a possible case of mistaken identity.
Marco Tapia, a man in his 20s living with his family on Mount Sugarloaf Drive, Glen Alpine, was killed after a group of home invaders stormed the two-storey property about 3.40am and opened fire. He was declared dead by emergency services shortly after their arrival.
Tapia is not known to police and has no known involvement in organised crime. Detectives will investigate if the shooting was a case of mistaken identity.
The home invaders fled the scene before police arrived, and they remain at large hours after the violent attack.
An expansive crime scene has been established outside the home, as detectives search for evidence and speak to neighbours.
The State Crime Command’s Homicide Squad is assisting local police with the investigation.
It comes three days after Emad Alameddine, 28, was shot by home invaders in his Guildford home on Saturday night.
Emad, believed to be related to members of the notorious Alameddine family but not involved in its criminal activities, was rushed to hospital after the shooting, while the group of masked men fled in a white SUV.
It is unclear if Tuesday’s shooting is linked to any conflicts between the Alameddine family and other groups including the Coconut Cartel.
One of the cartel’s alleged leaders, Iziah Utai, on Tuesday morning posted an apparent reference on social media to a botched shooting. Utai, who is wanted by NSW Police over the alleged murder of underworld figure Dawood Zakaria last May, has been regularly taunting the Alameddines on social media. He is believed to have travelled to south-east Asia and parts of Europe and the Middle East since leaving Australia after Zakaria’s death.
Police are investigating Tuesday’s post.
More to come
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