derek ward reports. >> reporter: a story too often repeated.eople in school and suddenly they're victims. all too often at the hands of a peer and all too often families are left to grieve, lives ended too soon. while they were only doing what they should be, going to school. >> we just had a shooting at our school. >> a safe haven. you know, you would never get a phone call like i did, you know, saying that something happened at school. your son's been shot. that's a phone call that no parent want. >> reporter: 16-year-old demetrius hewlin was among the three students who died last week at chardon high school in ohio. 17-year-old t.j. lane is charged with murder and assault. investigators believe the shootings were random. demetrius and other students were seated at a table in the school cafeteria. >> he was, you know, with his -- his buddies and, you know, sitting down, talking. having just a leisure conversation. and next thing you know -- >> reporter: while divorce had separated father and son, the distance was just geographical. they still

live in clinton, news4, derek ward. back to you. >> a difficult day for students and all of her classmates and teachers, thank you so much, derek. >>> turning to the weather now, the sunny skies we have this morning. is it going to be warm out there? let's find out from meteorologist tom kierein who joins us with the first forecast for midday. >> good morning, barbara. it's still rather cool and such a really gorgeous day shaping up. but if you're an allergy sufferer, you don't want to go outside. the pollen counts have been jumping. this is the pollen count that's in the high range now and it's for tree pollen, it's mostly oak and it's running about two weeks earlier than it normally does in an average season. and it actually may climb a bit later today as well as into tomorrow. but some relief may be coming our way. by the time we get into the weekend. over the last 12 hours, we've had sky mostly clear, a few clouds floating through from the north and west. over the last few hours. and for the rest of the afternoon, w

news 4's derek ward joins us live with more on the drawing. >> reporter: good morning. it looks like lady luck didn't make it inside the beltway. but there is a winner, not far from us. it is a record-breaking jackpot. a $640 million mega millions prize. one of several tickets sold in baltimore county. all we know of now. undoubtedly someone is checking numbers and pinching thenc inin over the sudden change of fortune. what definitely has grown is the revenue side of the state's balance sheet. maryland lottery officials say as of 10:00 p.m. last night, 11$11.6 million worth of ticket had been sold. comes out to the rate of $127 every second. a lot of the people had a chance to win smaller jack pots. a breakdown of odds. 240 second-tier winners. >> our advice is safeguard the ticket. sign the back of it. is is a barrier instrument and we want to make sure that they give it the -- the attention and consideration it requires and that our advice from the maryland lottery to whoever the winner is is get advice. we wouldn't recommend who that would be, but we would encourage

news4's derek ward joins us from freedom plaza where the group will gather later today. od morning. well, if you look behind me now, you'll see what's left of the occupy movement. it's a scaled down version but we mained here on freedom plaza. today they will be joined by demonstrators for another cause. between martin and zimmerman. in a gated development. yesterday it was hoodies on the hiel. the protesters gathered calling for justice and the arrest of zimmerman. a self-appointed neighborhood watchman. an fbi investigation has begun into that incident. meanwhile trayvon martin's name has now become a rallying point for those who see this as a social justice issue. >> right now we're talking about the right just to be. the right to walk on a street. the right just to be an individual. >> reporter: now, the rally is expected to get underway here at 2:00 p.m. on april 10th, a grand jury is expected to convene in florida to consider whether charges will be brought here. on monday more protests are being held at the justice department all surrounding this case. gets underwa

but as derek ward reports now it'll take more than a roll of the dice to decide which if either comes winner. >> reporter: prince george's county executive rashard baker took his case of support for gaming in the county to the maryland house ways and means committee in annapolis. he painted a picture of a much needed revenue stream that will be fed by money from gaming coming at a time when most county agencies have been told to take a 5% hit to their budgets. baker cited the local infrastructure as a direct beneficiary from increased revenue to the state. >> i know for those who are from prince george's county if you look at 210 in the county it is in desperate need of help as a state highway but we need to make repairs and expand it. >> reporter: it is not just any kind of gaming. baker inlt mate eintimated that prospect is a high dollar facility something akin to a vegas style setup that would work best. >> vegas on the potomac but a very nice facility that will attract people not only in the washington region but worldwide. >> reporter: as has been the case whenever there is talk

news4's derrick ward joins us live from freedom plaza, where protesters today demanded zimmerman's arrest. derek? >> reporter: well, you know, gordon, it's been nearly a month since this incident happened, and zimmerman's claims of self defense have yet to be heard in a court of law. but today the it was the court of public opinion that was in session. >> we are trayvon! >> reporter: they gathered on the steps of the wilson building. they spilled out into freedom plaza across the street. the numbers and the passion had grown exponentially. they came to hear calls for justice and some soul-searching. >> i asked myself, what kind of society do i live in, in which i can walk down the street and not only be hunted down because of my physical appearance, but also because -- also have my murderer go unprosecuted. >> we are not here to debate a so-called hold your ground law. because i am telling you, that the one person that night who had the right to hold his ground and fight for his life is trayvon martin. >> reporter: and almost every parent at the rally reflected upon the lessons they must now imp