An alleged key member of the Coconut Cartel has labelled a young Sydney student killed in a horror home invasion an “innocent victim”.

Marco Tapia, 23, was shot dead while he was in bed at his family home in Sydney’s south-west on Tuesday morning.

Although police have said they are treating the shooting as a “targeted” attack, detectives have not ruled out the possibility that Mr Tapia was killed in a case of mistaken identity. 

Iziah Utai, an alleged leader of notorious Australian crime group Coconut Cartel, shared a story to Instagram on Wednesday, describing Mr Tapia as an “innocent victim”.

“RIP Marco #InnocentVictim,” he wrote on his social media.

Utai shared the comment with a quote from the Qur’an, imploring god to help the “ill-treated”, “weak” and “oppressed”.

The social media post is the second he has shared in relation to the shooting.

In an initial post on Tuesday, Utai claimed the shooters had “popped the wrong person”.

Mr Tapia was not known to police and has no known gang affiliations, according to detectives. 

The University of Technology Sydney engineering student, who regularly volunteered at a local Hillsong Church, had only a traffic offence on his police record.

“The fact that what appears to be an innocent life was taken yesterday is something that no community should accept and no community should live in fear of violence,” he said.

On Tuesday, Campbelltown City Police Area Command Acting Superintendent Gretchen Atkins said detectives believed the shooting was a “targeted attack” but noted investigations were in the early stages.

Police have not ruled out the possibility of mistaken identity, but have said it is too early to make any conclusions.

When asked about the possibility of attackers targeting the wrong house, Acting Superintendent Atkins said “everything” was under investigation. 

“A young man has lost his life today and that is obviously tragic,” Acting Superintendent Atkins said on Tuesday.

“There were family that were home and they are assisting us.”

Police have confirmed they are aware of the social media posts.

Read related topics:Sydney Crime