A man was shot to death in his Northwest Baltimore apartment early yesterday during an apparent robbery attempt in which a roommate was pistol-whipped, city police reported.

The victim -- found dead in the bedroom of the second-story apartment in the 4900 block of Challedon Road -- was identified as Derrick Carroll, 34, by his brother, Kevin Seawell. However, police would not confirm the victim's name.

According to police, three men entered the Windsor Forest apartment about 3:50 a.m. and demanded money from the victim's roommate, whom police did not identify. One of the men pistol-whipped him, police said.

The roommate fled through a window after hearing gunshots coming from the victim's bedroom, police said. He ran to an apartment several blocks away to ask for help.

Charles Jackson, 81, a resident of the nearby Dickey Hill Forest apartments, said he was awakened by someone pounding on his door. "I thought it was somebody telling me there was a fire," Jackson said.

Jackson said he called 911 after letting the man, who was bleeding, barefoot and wearing only pajama bottoms, into his home. "He told me, 'Lock the door! Lock the door! Call the police!' ... He said somebody was after him," said Jackson, who was badly shaken by the incident.