Two teenage boys have been charged with murder following the shooting death of a university student in Sydney this month, an incident police have described as a case of mistaken identity. Marco Tapia, 23, was fatally shot inside his family's home in Glen Alpine early on 1 September.
Police response and investigation
Officers were called to the residence just before 4am that day following reports of a home invasion. Upon arrival, they discovered Tapia with a gunshot wound, and he was pronounced dead at the scene. Detectives conducted an extensive investigation, which led them to conclude that the wrong house had been targeted.
Two boys, aged 14 and 16, were arrested on Wednesday and subsequently charged with murder. Notably, police have stated they will not allege that either boy was the gunman. Both face additional charges, including participating in a criminal group contributing to criminal activity, possession of an unauthorised firearm, and driving conveyances taken without the owners' consent. The 14-year-old was also charged with damaging property with fire or an explosion.
Alleged roles and court proceedings
Police will allege in court that the pair staged vehicles and provided a weapon for the gunman. Both have been refused bail and are scheduled to appear in children's court on Thursday.
The investigation into Tapia's death is part of a broader effort by New South Wales police to address a recent spate of shootings in Sydney. Another man was killed on 2 September, just a day after Tapia's death.
Family's grief and police response
Tapia's parents spoke to Channel Nine's A Current Affair this week, expressing their profound loss. His mother, Claudia, recalled the moment of his death, saying, “I remember him taking the last breath.” His father, Sergio, described his son as “a beautiful young man” and lamented the senselessness of the act, stating, “It was wasteful, it was useless, it was ridiculously stupid to take such a beautiful person away from this earth.”
The New South Wales police commissioner, Mal Lanyon, has vowed to target those responsible for the recent violence. “One innocent victim is unacceptable to me,” he told reporters after Tapia's death. “We won’t rest until we stop this violence … anything we can do to stop it, we will do.”
