Teens charged with murder over south-west Sydney mistaken identity shooting

Two teenage boys, aged 14 and 16, have been charged with the murder of university student Marco Tapia in Sydney. The 23-year-old was shot inside his family's home in Glen Alpine early on September 1, and died at the scene. Police allege that the wrong house was targeted, and that the boys were not the ones who pulled the trigger.

Instead, they are charged with participating in a criminal group, contributing to criminal activity, possessing an unauthorized firearm, and driving vehicles taken without consent. The younger boy faces an additional charge of damaging property with fire or explosion. Police claim the pair provided a weapon and staged vehicles for the gunman.

Both boys were refused bail and will appear in a children's court on Thursday. Tapia's parents expressed their grief, with his mother saying that "hate came to our house." New South Wales police commissioner Mal Lanyon vowed to crack down on the violent shootings plaguing Sydney, vowing not to rest until the violence is stopped.