Police consider mistaken identity in break-in killing

A young man was killed inside his home in Glen Alpine, near Campbelltown in Sydney, with police now considering the possibility of mistaken identity. Around 3:40am on Tuesday, multiple attackers entered the residence and fatally shot the victim before fleeing the scene. Emergency services arrived and found the young man, believed to be in his early 20s, with a gunshot wound but were unable to save him.

Police confirmed that the victim's family was present at the home during the attack. The assailants remain at large, with an alleged underworld identity on social media suggesting they had "popped the wrong person." Acting Superintendent Gretchen Atkins stated that police are treating the incident as a targeted attack, but it is too early to determine if the killers were mistaken about their target.

The victim had a prior traffic offense, and he was not known to police beyond that. A member of the exiled Coconut Cartel, Iziah Utai, posted on Instagram shortly after the shooting, saying "Popped the wrong person. Didn't even get the right house." The Coconut Cartel and the notorious Alameddine crime family have reportedly been involved in a feud, leading to shootings across Sydney in recent months.

Police are urging the community to assist with any information that could help solve the case, as an investigation report will be prepared for the coroner. Sydney has experienced several alleged mistaken-identity incidents in recent times, including the 2023 killing of 85-year-old Chris Baghsarian and the 2025 execution of John Versace in his driveway.