7 die in weekend violence in Philadelphia

January ended with the killings of seven people over three days across the city. As of Monday evening, there had been 24 homicides in 2011 - three more than at this time last year.

That tally does not include the woman and seven newborns that authorities have charged abortion doctor Kermit Gosnell with killing. Although those deaths did not occur in 2011, they are listed in the January statistics because Gosnell's indictment happened last month.

The tally for 2011 is not unusual. The number of homicides in January has ranged from 19 to 37 in recent years. The average for January in from 2000 to 2010 is 25.

Killed since Friday were:

Samuel Pressley, 44, of South 54th Street in Southwest Philadelphia. Police say he was shot in the back of the head Sunday afternoon inside his home in the Kingsessing section for reasons not yet known.

Melvin Pickron, 19, of North 10th Street in North Philadelphia. Police say Pickron was shot in the head and torso in the 900 block of West Master Street in North Philadelphia on Sunday afternoon, but the motive is not known.

Kelly Nelson, 28, of Hill Creek Drive in Crescentville. Police say Nelson was found on his street early Sunday with a gunshot wound to the head. Investigators say they believe an argument preceded the slaying.

Derrick Banks, 28, of Newkirk Street in North Philadelphia. Police say Banks was shot in the head early Sunday not far from his home in the 2900 block of Turner Street in Brewerytown after getting into an argument.

Damon Rush, 25, of Walker Street in the Mayfair section of the Northeast. Rush was shot twice in the head while sitting in the passenger seat of a car on Tyson Avenue near Roosevelt Boulevard on Saturday night, police say.

Robert Haughton, 45, of Dorel Street in Southwest Philadelphia's Elmwood section. Police said Haughton was shot in the groin and chest on his street early Saturday. Robbery is the suspected motive.

James Smith-Taylor, 29, of North 18th Street in Spring Garden. He was shot numerous times in the torso about noon Friday on Bellmore Avenue near Amber Street in Kensington. The motive is not known.