good evening i'm jennifer leigh. >> and i'm josh benson. a man walked into a store an tried to rob a clerk at gunpoint. >> but the clerk shoots the robber right in the head and now he's in the hospital. jamel lanee is live in tampa. we just got an update from you at 5:00 what's the latest now. >> reporter: detectives right

they've taken down the crime scene tape and they're still continuing to go inside this food station. to try to figure out what happened. let's go to video of what we shot earlier. here's what we know so far. at 3:30, a man walked into a store with a knife and tried to rob a clerk. the clerk pulled out a gun and shoots him in the head. that man is taken to the hospital with life threatening injuries. we spoke to the clerk's brother a little earlier. he said this man tried to come around the counter to try to get money from the clerk. again detectives right now they are wrapping up the scene. but we still have a lot of questions that need to be answered. back out here live, we're still waiting for an update from the public information officer as to how the clerk is doing at this time. they are still talking to witnesses and the conditions update on the person who came in here and tried to rob this

that's the latest here. general, josh. >> all right jamel janee live. and a 3-year-old girl is expected to survive after she ate the synthetic pot called spice after she found it in a coat pocket. charge. >> reporter: we've seen the effects of spice. that's when adults smoke the stuff. pinellas deputy say craig bought spice over the weekend. but when he got home, a 3-year- old took it out of his pocket and ate it. >> it will put you in a

>> reporter: in court craig tried to explain his side of the story. a sheriff report details clark's former smoking of spice around the girl at least two other times. she was unconscious when paramedics arrived. at clark's home nobody answered the door. we noticed trash on the porch and some kids items in the yard. neighbors told me, clark should be more careful. >> he should be responsible enough to lock it up when they have a toddler running around. >> putting a drug that is not good on a counter that a child can get to, that's how i look at it. >> reporter: spice makers can put whatever they want in the drug and kids can be affected more than adults. >> use of any drug or medication depends on your size. so you're a smaller individual you're going to get a lot more of that drug in your system if it's consumed. >> reporter: and eating spice rather than smoking it can lead to serious problems. >> eating spice is essentially very dangerous because the person who's eating it doesn't know the effect of it because

>> reporter: clark is being held on $30,000 bond. peter bernard, newschannel 8. developing tonight, temple police are looking for a motorcyclist who -- who shot a man early this morning. detectives believe the shooter followed the driver for a few miles before opening fire. >> eyewitness didn't hear gunshots but saw the car drift off the road and crash here. at least one of them struck the driver as he headed along east fowler avenue in temple terrace early this morning. police released a 911 call from an eyewitness. >> what's your person. >> i think this guy just got shot in his car. >> it's been suggested that it was road rage but plus are shying away from that. they said the motorcyclists followed the driver for several miles. >> reporter: some saw the motorcycle driver as he shot into the car.

talking but in critical condition. police don't know what provoked the shooting. >> he's from california. we don't have much information as to why he's in the area. >> reporter: drivers along this busy stretch of road near i75 were surprised someone got angry enough to open fire. >> that's crazy. i wouldn't expect that around this area. this is known to be a nice area. i've lived here all my life. >> the way things are going nowadays you just never know. it's really unfortunate. >> reporter: crime scene technician processed the area. officers checked near by convenience stores for surveillance video but came up empty-handed. details of the incidents remain sketchy. police the detectives hope to talk to the driver who remains in the hospital in critical condition. detectives describe the motorcyclist as a man in his 40s or 50s with a gray hair and gray beard. you should call police if you

a dog was found in the backyard unable to pick up his head or even walk. the dog had a large open wound and didn't have any food or water. raymond and christina clerk said they couldn't afford to remove a tumor on his back. the dog died on his way to the animal hospital. and this is all too common for floridians and lawmakers want to change it. last year medicaid expansion and providing coverage for the uninsured derailed the florida's legislative session. there were better ways to provide affordable health care. >> florida families pay more and more each year for health care and they're tired of it. >> reporter: senator bradley and representative chris brad introduced bills.

constituents suffer sticker shock. >> what this bill is about is information. a consumer wherever they live in florida needs to have real information about price and quality. and obviously price and quality is not uniform throughout the state. >> reporter: gardener who led the charge say it is proposals are secondary issues. >> at the end of the day is the uninsured and them having access. we're involved in all of them. we're not just going to say no but we also believe especially on that transparent and some of the others it should be across the board. >> reporter: the governor says he isn't quite ready to back the bills yesterday because they don't go far enough. governor rick scott says floridians need transparency

>> they should have to face penalties. >> reporter: there's no plans to incorporate penalties for the hospitals in the bill. the florida hospital association says they support price transparency and would like to reach quote common ground with lawmakers. critics say it still does nothing for the uninsured though. governor rick scott is working to win approval from the legislature for a $1 billion tax cut plan. governor scott made a legislation in front of the tax committee touting that his tax package would continue to drive florida's economy. the main plan focuses on cutting manufacturing taxes. it's the ends of an era for the ri ngli in, g brothers and barnum circus. the price you have to pay

>> we topped out at 60 degrees which sounds nice and warm but it'll be cold this evening and really for the next couple of days. rain chances too. all that in your seven day shortly. a cruise ship witness shocked as her vacation turned into a rescue mission. more cuban immigrants are putting their lives at risk.

> the music world is mourning the loss of one of its most unique and iconic singers. >> legendary british singer david bowie died last night. he was a pop music fixture for four decades. but the master of reinvention

and out of the public eye releasing his latest album black star just four days ago on his 69th birthday. revonent was the big winner at the golden globe awards. they took three of the awards. and leonardo decaprio won the best actor. and sylvester stallone won for resurrecting his rocky character. and any buyer will have to

renting his house until his death. and in a surprise announcement, the ringling brothers will be retiring elephants. >> reporter: as they say in the show business, the show must go on. and for the ringling brothers it soon will have very different performers. when the ringling brothers returned to tampa it'll mark the last time that the elephants will be in the act. >> our plans came together more quickly than we had anticipated. there's a lot of logistical planning to do to bring 11 elephants back home and we just really finish and consolidated

faster than we thought we would be. >> your thoughts over seeing them no longer performing. >> bittersweet. right from the heart bittersweet because i've had the thrill for over 40 years seeing audience members be delighted by the magic of elephants. >> reporter: but not everyone is sad to see the animals retired. >> this just makes good sense by the company to make this decision. cut it off, move on to the new business model that does not involve in exploiting animals. >> as with anything that involves progress it's a double sided coin. but we still have our incredible clowns, acrobats, amazing big cat acts, horses, the greatest show on earth will always be the greatest show on earth. >> reporter: it may very well be the greatest show on earth

we've come to known for over 70 years. and the circus will return in may which is when they will go on the road. >> 11 elephants will not be put out to the pasture will they? >> reporter: no and they will not be by themselves. the 11 elephants still performing will join 27 other elephants and they will also be used for cancer research. >> thank you so much. well the power ball jackpot. we've been talking a lot about that. it just keeps getting bigger. the as -- astronomical prize, 1.4 billion. >> and will continue to rise. the marks the game's highest

the next drawing will be wednesday night. we topped out at 60 degrees today at sun toyota. right now the current temp has already fallen to 50 degrees. which should indicate a very cool evening and very cool richie. the plantation crystal river 56 degrees with the northwest winds at 8 miles per hour. pinellas county. we're a little chilly this evening. a jacket not a bad idea. if you're going to be out especially for an extended period of time. clear skies for us looks like very clear skies. maybe some high clouds tomorrow. 40s and 50s overnight. freeze warning northern county, citrus, hernando. that's in place for the period between 2:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. clear skies, light wind conditions. always lead to a fast fall and temperatures. this does not include coastal hernando county. likely because of the influence at the coast.

it's possible some of those areas if you really want to be careful to cover those plants probably a good idea to do it tonight. not expecting a lot in the way of frost, always a slight possibility. but not ideal conditions for it. 38degrees land o lakes. you can see low 40s. northern spots mid-30s. 39degrees lakeland. 42 north port. 43 in sarasota. eagle8hd, there's our crews headed out. very chilly as they get out to mexico. 51degrees for our evening. temperatures you saw at that location in sun toyota at 50 degrees. so expect those temps to fall pretty quickly with these conditions. 42 our forecast low. coldest weather this season of the winter that includes december. 64degrees in the afternoon. 58degrees right now. dewpoints in the 30s, same number in st. petersburg.

51degrees all over the place in pinellas county. 59 sun city center. lakeland 59. and 60 in lake placid. quite a bit of dry air. satellites showing most clouds well to the south. but those freeze advisories go all the way into southern parts of georgia. some of the coldest weather this season obviously. high pressure is the big feature. no surprise. cold dense area of high pressure. that's giving us the northerly flow. and whether it's north or northeasterly will continue. we may see a few of these high clouds stream our way from the west. next couple of days 64 degrees for the next two days really. sunshine mixed with a few clouds. rain chances pop back in in an area of low pressure later thursday into friday. our rain chance 60%. the timing of this area of rain may change.

like later thursday earlier on friday. we stay mild. another cold front up the road. cool again next monday. we're definitely in january. we're getting cool weather. looks like it's going to stay like that for a bit. >> thank you very much. we're covering news the throughout the area. candidates fight for the gop nomination. >> coming up next, we'll show

now to what's making headlines all across america. mothers against drunk drivers wants ethan couch to be brought to the u.s. madd says transferring to adult couch gives the criminal justice system a chance to hold him accountable to make sure his probation goes beyond his 18th birthday in april. donald trump is fueling doubts whether the senator's canadian birth the disqualifies him. >> if he were lucky enough to

he's going to be sued by the democrats. >> but the substance of the issue, is clear and straightforward. as a league matter, the constitution and civil law is clear that the child of a u.s. citizen born abroad is a national born citizen. >> and senator cruz released his parents birth certificates clearing up the question that she had ever been a canadian citizen. and hillary clinton's once commanding lead in iowa seems to be gone to bernie sanders. we continue to follow breaking news. a shooting at a convenience store. >> a store clerk has shot a

>> and we're going to show you what's in store for a pinellas officer. >> coming up the story of a dramatic rescue at sea. >> this guide dog was attacked by a group of pit bulls last week. now the owner is concerned that

more cuban migrants making the treacherous journey to the u.s. what's behind the increase. and she is her owner's lifeline. now this guide dog may not be able to do her job after a vicious attack. and a veteran desperate for