A 23-year-old medical student and Hillsong church youth leader, Marco Tapia, was shot dead in bed at his parents' home in Glen Alpine, south-west Sydney, in what police believe was a case of mistaken identity during a targeted home invasion. Three masked men broke into the property and opened fire before fleeing, and detectives are investigating possible links to an ongoing gang conflict between the Alameddine crime family and a rival group known as the Coconut Cartel. The killing has drawn attention because Mr Tapia had no known gang connections and appears to have been an entirely innocent victim caught up in underworld violence.

The attack happened at about 3.40am on Tuesday while Mr Tapia's mother, father and sister were also inside the house; he was shot in the neck and arm and later died. He had completed a bachelor's degree in medical and health sciences, was studying biomedical engineering, and had recently won an award for engineering work on treating muscle injuries. Shortly afterwards, an alleged Coconut Cartel figure, Iziah Utai, posted a message referencing a botched shooting at the wrong house, which police say they are examining as part of the investigation, alongside CCTV and witness appeals through Crime Stoppers.