Three people have been charged in connection with the fatal shooting of 23-year-old Marco Tapia during a home invasion in Glen Alpine, in Sydney’s south-west, as investigators continue examining the circumstances surrounding the killing.
Tapia was shot inside a home on Mount Sugarloaf Drive at approximately 3:40 a.m. on Tuesday, September 1, 2026. Police were called after reports of a home invasion and found the young man suffering from a gunshot wound. He died at the scene.
The investigation was initially handled by local police before detectives from the New South Wales Police Force’s Homicide Squad took over the case under Strike Force Gareno.
Wrong home allegedly targeted
Investigators later established that the property had been wrongly targeted, according to police. Detectives allege that three people entered the home and confronted Tapia before he was fatally shot.
The circumstances surrounding the incident have raised serious concerns about the consequences of violent criminal activity for residents and families who may become unintended victims.
Police said the offenders allegedly left the property shortly before officers arrived. Investigators subsequently worked to identify those believed to have been involved and establish the sequence of events leading to the shooting.
Three people charged
On September 30, police announced that two men, aged 22 and 23, and a 16-year-old boy had been charged in connection with Tapia’s alleged murder.
The arrests followed extensive inquiries, including earlier arrests of two teenage boys in September. Police allege that the group played different roles in planning and carrying out the incident, including providing a firearm and arranging vehicles.
The accused have been charged with offences including murder and aggravated break and enter. The allegations have not been proven in court, and the accused are entitled to the presumption of innocence.
Investigation into the killing
The investigation has involved detectives examining the alleged home invasion, the movements of those accused and the circumstances in which Tapia was shot.
Authorities have urged anyone with information that could assist the investigation into related criminal activity to contact Crime Stoppers. Police have also continued to pursue inquiries into the events surrounding the fatal incident.
A community affected by violence
A fatal shooting inside a home can have a lasting impact on relatives, friends and neighbours. The death of a young man in such circumstances is a devastating loss, while the investigation and court proceedings can leave loved ones waiting for answers.
Tapia’s death has become the focus of a major criminal investigation in Sydney’s south-west, with authorities seeking to establish accountability through the legal process.
Separate police shooting reported in Glen Alpine
Separately, on Thursday, October 22, 2026, media outlets reported that a man had been shot by police on or near Strathmore Street in Glen Alpine and taken to Liverpool Hospital. The circumstances of that incident were still unclear in the initial reports.
There is no confirmed evidence that the October 22 police shooting is connected to Tapia’s September death. The two incidents should be treated as separate investigations unless authorities establish a link.
The investigation into Tapia’s killing has resulted in multiple charges, but the judicial process will determine the outcome of the allegations against those accused.
