Cops: Youth slain in home-invasion try in SW Phila.

Homicide detectives were called to Greenway Avenue near 59th Street in Southwest Philadelphia yesterday after an alleged attempted home invasion turned deadly.

Police said that shortly before noon a 16-year-old youth allegedly tried to break into a home on the block and was confronted by a resident of the home.

The resident fired, striking the boy in the chest.

He was taken to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, where he was pronounced dead at about 12:30 p.m.

Police didn't identify the slain youth. They said they have one male in custody.

Meanwhile, homicide investigators are still trying to determine why a 49-year-old man was shot to death in the city's Cedarbrook section Thursday afternoon.

Cops identified the slain man as Anthony Edwards, of Cedarbrook Avenue near Cheltenham. Edwards was shot once in the chest shortly before 1 p.m.

He was taken to Albert Einstein Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead shortly before 2:30 p.m.

Police have identified another man shot to death Thursday afternoon on Market Street near 53rd in West Philadelphia.

Cops said Wayne Bell, 21 was shot once in the chest shortly before 4 p.m. Thursday afternoon.

Bell, of Wilton Street near 52nd was taken to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, where he was pronounced dead shortly after 4 p.m.

Three unidentified men were also wounded in the shootout that killed Bell.

The latest slayings brings the city's homicide total to 144 compared with 132 at this time last year.

Anyone with any information on these incidents is asked to call 215-686-3334, or -3335. *