3 PAROLEES ARRESTED AFTER MAN WOUNDED.

Byline: Bhavna Mistry Staff Writer

Three ex-convicts were arrested Wednesday after a 47-year-old man was wounded by a gunman who entered his apartment, sheriff's officials said.

Sheriff's deputies said two men wearing ski masks and dark clothing entered the Division Street apartment of Eddie Whettstone about 2:45 a.m. Wednesday and demanded money. A third man waited outside the apartment, officials said.

When Whettstone said there was no money, one of the men opened fire, Deputy Chris Keeling said, and Whettstone was wounded in the buttocks by a bullet.

Keeling said an accomplice of the shooter apparently got in the way and was wounded in a leg.

``There was only one shooter,'' Keeling said. ``The other guy got in the way.''

Arthur Roberson, 24, of Rosamond, was arrested while being treated at the emergency room of Antelope Valley Hospital for a bullet wound in his leg, deputies said. He was later taken to Los Angeles County/USC Medical Center's jail ward.

Deputies said they later spotted a car resembling the one that had dropped off Roberson at the hospital emergency entrance. They said they decided the driver was not one of the assailants, but continued the investigation and arrested Kenneth Morgan, 33, and Eric Jenkins, 37, both of Lancaster.

Roberson, Morgan and Jenkins were all being held without bail on suspicion of attempted robbery and assault with a deadly weapon, officials said. All are on parole.

``No motive has been established at this point,'' said Keeling. ``These people were not strangers. They had some connections.''