Marco Tapia has been identified as the young man shot dead during a home invasion in Glen Alpine, south-west Sydney, in what police are investigating as a possible case of mistaken identity.
Emergency services were called to a property on Mount Sugarloaf Drive at about 3.40am on Tuesday, 1 September, after reports that several intruders had entered the house.
Officers from Campbelltown City Police Area Command found Mr Tapia suffering from a gunshot wound inside the property. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
His family were reportedly at home during the attack and are assisting detectives with the investigation. Police said the suspected offenders fled shortly before officers arrived and remain at large.
Acting Superintendent Gretchen Atkins said investigators believed the shooting may have been a targeted attack, although they had not ruled out the possibility that the gunmen had gone to the wrong address.
Police are also examining a social media post attributed to an alleged Sydney underworld figure which claimed the wrong person had been shot. Officers have not confirmed that the post is connected to the killing.
Ms Atkins said Mr Tapia was known to police only in relation to a traffic offence and had no other known criminal involvement.
A crime scene has been established while detectives from the State Crime Command’s Homicide Squad work with local officers to establish what happened. A report will be prepared for the coroner.
Police have appealed for anyone who saw suspicious people or vehicles in Glen Alpine before or after the shooting, or who has CCTV, dashcam or mobile phone footage, to contact Crime Stoppers.
