emergency crews scrambling. and a news 4 exclusive. a marine who lost a limb overseas is beaten and left for dead in northern virginia. we begin with the final push for votes in florida where the battle for voters in the sunshine state has gotten nasty as the republican candidates ramp up their sharp and critical attacks. steve handelsman has our report. >> reporter: mitt romney tonight in central florida had his grandson sum up the family's jubilation. >> it looks like papa's going to win. >> reporter: papa today looked relieved. >> i'm beginning to feel we might win tomorrow. what do you think? >> reporter: romney altered his tactics after losing south carolina. >> we were getting just whaled on by speaker gingrich and didn't really respond very well. >> reporter: he went after gingrich in florida debates and on tv. >> newt has a ton of baggage. >> reporter: in moxie's coffee shop in tampa, floridians said

the ads steered them away from gingrich. >> i see them on both sides bashing each other, and i don't know which way -- i'm very undecided. >> reporter: gingrich tonight said he's decided not to quit. >> we are going to go all the way to the convention, and we are going to win in tampa. >> reporter: appearing with herman cain. >> speaker newt gingrich! >> reporter: gingrich claimed he can take the primary tomorrow. >> the polls are all over the place. we just got word of a brand-new poll that came out about an hour ago that says we are now tied 35-35%. >> reporter: but every public voter survey shows gingrich well down. and in early voting, nearly 600,000 floridians have already cast ballots. exit polls show romney winning by nearly 2-1. his aides say in the state-by-state fight still to come, romney will not let up on gingrich. i'm steve handles helsmanhandel.

>> just go to nbcwashington.com to join the conversation. a first tonight at the white house. president obama took live questions from a videoconference roundtable on google plus. the president answered questions on the economy, his small business policies and foreign policy issues. that videoconference was broadcast online via youtube. now to that stairwell collapse in southwest washington tonight. it trapped some people in their apartments. jackie bensen is live along mlk boulevard near bowling air force base. jackie? >> reporter: doreen, we're told this apparently happened while a man was trying to move a heavy piece of furniture into the building. residents of the upper floors of the garden apartment complex leaned out the windows and watched as firefighters assessed the damage to the stairwell. it collapsed very suddenly about 7:00 p.m. francis carson was among those stuck inside. >> actually, i just heard one of the residents fall. i assume that maybe he had just

fell down the steps. it wasn't until later on that i was on my way to work that i realized that the bottom landing had actually fell through. >> reporter: neighbors say the collapse happened as a man was delivering a large piece of furniture. he was seriously injured and taken to a local hospital by ambulance. firefighters decided the stairwell could be temporarily shored up from the base, allowing residents to exit the building until more permanent repairs could be made. a building inspector is scheduled to be here tomorrow morning. reporting live in southwest washington, jackie bensen, news 4. >> thank you, jackie. emergency teams rushed the tarmac at bwi airport after a plane overshot the runway tonight. a gulf stream jet with two passengers on board landed off the runway around 6:45. it landed in baltimore after coming from the poconos in pennsylvania. nobody got hurt and no other air traffic was affect by that incident. there is tension in the air at both occupy d.c. encampments as some worry a raid by park

police could come at any minute. shamari stone with the latest for us. >> reporter: aaron, we walked around mcpherson square and heard a lot of protesters saying, quote, this is my right to be here. it's my first amendment right. you can see these tents right here. you might ask yourself, where are the people? some are inside whereas others are right over here in the center of mcpherson square. many are gathering and discussing what to do if the u.s. park police come in. many are concerned that this is the calm before the storm, before the u.s. park police comes in, shuts them down. for those who are not violating the no camping rule. let me just tell you, it's important to point out that a lot of folks tell me they came out here. they're concerned about the u.s. park police coming. and many of them said, you know what? this is our right to be here. i called the park police, and they have not called me back. but here's what's interesting. many of the people out here said they'll continue to stay and see

what's going to happen to see if police comes onto mcpherson square. the same rules apply to freedom plaza. here's what's interesting. you're not allowed to camp, sleep or have bedding within the tents. in fact, the doors have to be opened. we'll continue to bring you the latest updates on nbc washington. i'm shamari stone. back to you in the studio. >> thank you. no damage reported tonight after one of the strongest earth wake aftershocks in month hit central virginia. the magnitude 3.2 tremor struck mineral, virginia, about 6:30 this evening. and people as far as as middletown, maryland. this follows the 5.8 quake that damaged the monument and cathedral. let's head it over to doug. what's up, doug? >> already seen about 100 aftershocks. those are going to continue for up to a year. this is one of the strongest you saw. as far as our weather, a little

dimp different here. last night a cold front gave us snow showers and really cooled us off. tonight, completely different story. this is a warm front making its way across the area. and the weather behind it, most of you, i think others, not so much. the lights along the national mall got a 21st century upgrade tonight. this evening interior secretary ken salazar purposed on l.e.d. lights. they're expected to provide brighter light. they should also introduce energy use. a virginia man found dead at the bottom of a well had been shot. that word from police today about lenny harris. the alexandria activist who disappeared last september. in october his car was found near the well in ft. washington, maryland. no arrests so far in his murder. right now things back to normal on metro after another cracked rail caused delays today. this time it happened outside

the rosalyn station. it's the fifth time a cracked rail has caused metro rail derails this month. they blame temperature changes and the age of the rail system. marriage should be defined between what? and what? there you go. >> a large vocal crowd gathered at the statehouse in annapolis to a bill legalizing gay marriage. among the speakers -- >> since marriage was not instituted by the state senate, it was instituted by god himself! >> maryland governor martin o'malley has announced his support for the sledlegislation passed but it was tied up in the house. he said it would be ill advised. gray says his administration and

he said a citywide special election would be expensive. the creator of a petition to recall the mayor has to collect more than 45,000 signatures in the next 180 days. a lawmaker from fairfax county is so upset requiring women to get an exam. howell howell jish the bill is expected to pass. now just six days away from the super bowl in indianapolis. dan hellie and jim vance will be anchoring our coverage all ek. >> dan is there live outside lucas oil stadium tonight. hey, dan. >> and tomorrow perhaps the

biggest circus you could say of super bowl week, rilts media y day, and for the first time ever, they're going to allow fans in to watch media day. tickets right now on stubhub, believe it, going for twooefr and you don't get to even ride the zip line. that's part of the nfl village area near lucas. i don't know if any of these folks will be at media day tomorrow, but i guarantee you, it's going to lost more than a lot of activities. over 4,000 people are estimated to be here in indianapolis for prosecute bowl week. which patriots' star did not practice today and may not practice the week? guys? >> and are you going to tell us what people are going to be able

to -- >> they'll be able to see jim vance for the first time in a long time. he'll do interviews, asking questions, giving speeches. a good time had by all. >> thank you, dan. still ahead, a marine beaten and left for dead in northern georgia. why the two arrests believed they were justified in the attack. air bags. air bags. and

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growing safety concerns with the jeep liberty tonight. 50 people have reported being hurt had their air bags deployed without a crash. safety investigators are investigating over 380,000 vehicles focusing on 2002 and 2003 models. they say it's as a result of a volt an spike. chrysler which makes the suvs say none are related to after 2003. a marine is hospitalized after being beaten with a club. that beating followed a confrontation eight days ago that's just now coming to light. >> reporter: it was the wee hours of january 22 nd.

there were a couple customers. according to the agency, they have cook saying to dawkins who then goes to his car. he confronted him inside and out his car. it showed the confrontation outside. >> he was in a position like this. the other guy is hiding. he's like this. but hiding this thing behind him. so when he goes to strike the marine, he goes whack! and it was dark out like this. and you couldn't see what it was. whether it was a hammer or whether it was a tire iron. but when he hit him, the marine dropped right here. just boom! >> the deckive determined that the two suspects were marquise dawkins and anita cook.

>> reporter: hill is scheduled to be awarded a silver star for bravery, but he's now hospitalized with a serious head wound. >> police say both men have been charged with malicious behavior. tonight, fairfax county parents got their chance to weigh in on the budget. that $2.4 million gives teachers their biggest raise. the school board is set to vote on that proposal later this year. bruce springsteen and his band are coming to d.c. april 1st. a lot of fans hoping to see the boss are pretty outraged. the tickets went on sale saturday morning and almost instantly they were sold out. some fans complained that they were blocked on the ticketmaster website. scalpers, though, seemed to be able to scoop up all of those tickets. now, if you're going to go to

one of those places, you'll have to pay up. craigslist, tickets that started at $71, right now they're ranging between $2000. slachi i scalping. sometimes it also has to do with demands. the company works to stop illegal purchases, but ticketmaster said there's an ongoing battle to change tactics. the deadly shipwreck in italy is having a serious impact on carnival cruise lines. the company estimates the crash will cost the company as much as $175 million in profits. in the days following, karn natur 16

people are still missing tonight. doug kammerer here now to talk about this forecast. you guys are loving this. >> we are, yeah. >> i think we'll be in the 60s during the day tomorrow, 60 on krurs. looking at the longer term pattern, very -- >> whoa! in the 30s or something? all the way down there? the next couple days, you know it is going to be on the warm side. temperatures 15 to 25 above the area. today we saw another above-average afternoon. 48, the high temperature today. the average, 44. take a look at this. 21 out of 30 days.

41, the current temperature out there now, up a degree from last ye year. 41 in culpepper and frederi fredericksburg at 43. storm 4 radar showing that warm front. yes, it is a warm front. ahead of it, we've got colder air and hence the snee in through portions of new york. they need some of that snow up there. they have had below average snowfall. that thing is going to bring in one thing only. bring in warmer air. 71 in omaha today, 67 in st. louis, 62 in atlanta. and here comes that cold air out. tomorrow's just a great day. it will be rather breezy.

into the mid-60s, i think. then behind, good days to get the kids out to the park. 28-35 in some of the curbs. 57-62. warmer warmer paemp. i don't think you'll need the coats after, new, 9:00, 10:00. own -- 60% chance on thursday. 52 on, could be a little bit of

both. the one thing we are sharp. it is going to be maybe, of course, right around valentine's day, things. >> you're setting them up to snuggle. >> that's right. speaking of snuggling, a very big baby and the story of his birth even more incredible. coming up, indianapolis may be peyton's town, but eli is going tore the

dan's live in indianapolis where they're getting ready for the super bowl. and other stuff, huh? >> reporter: yeah. there's a lot going on out here. super bowl xlvi between the patriots and the giants. of course, a repeat of just four years ago when they were out in arizona and the giants ruined that perfect season that the patriots were going for. a lot of guys on this jichbtds' roster team we've been all this, as you can see, not just another game. when the plainplane lands, they have the flag, it signified that football is a little different. the giants picked to win their second in four years. eli manning, a big reason why. and for eli to do it in his big

brother's backyard would be a unique experience. >> i guess his most move lar move, he'd tase h-- make me nam the 12 schools in the s.e.w. i didn't know them at the time. it was a great learning when he really wanted to torture me and had no shot. that was his go-to move. >> reporter: you've got to love the big brother/little brother stuff. i hope he's not watching. i do want to say one. a report "way the washington post" said they'd be in the say,

healt health peyton. they will be practicing pe terribly without one of their biggest scars. rob gronkowski still battling that high ankle spain. kre it's an interesting for the patriots. every tee kim >> it was at first, pulling up and knowing that on our arrivals, we're using the facility to handle our business. but, you know, once practicing and stuff got ago. it's a nice place, though. a real nice place. >> this is a first-class organization.

it's nice. >> reporter: all righ glad half full/glad half if the. under 2-1 under whitney whitman. possibly the only team and now they've to with it with, hosting the bulls. first quarter, rose doing what he does, driving by john wall and then ja pail mckee. there's a reason he's the nba mcv. >> these guys, second quarter. wiz down by eight. ronny brewer gets a shot disrupted. he tens out.

fourth quarter, when rose wasn't scoring, he was dishing. finds carlos boozer for the dunk. rose, dat at that time. needless to say, the chicago blackhawks a wee bit different. the wiz yards, hard to believe there was almost. media day tomorrow. i'll promise you that. >> good luck. it's preelds

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