details, but it appears al khalifi was arrested in -- el khalifi was arrested in this parking garage after cnn reports accepting a vest fill with what he believed to be explosives and a -- vest filled with what he believed to be explosives and a gun. the government said both were benign. khalifi reportedly purchased ingredients for the vest bomb. if true, good evidence. >> we've seen this happen repeatedly over past years. when you get a case like this, you want to get not only a sense of intent from the individual and you want to say he wasn't just thinking about it. he was ready to move and the fact he's wearing the suicide vest would suggest to anyone including someone on the jury this guy was going to act. >> reporter: it is a technique the fbi used to catch a massachusetts man who wanted to use model airplanes packed with explosives to attack the pentagon and capitol last september. el khalifi appeared in federal court at 4:15 this afternoon where he was formally charged with attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction where he was quoted by agents saying he wanted to use a suicide vest so he could kill people face to face. the latest from the courthouse in alexandria, government statement that el khalifi himself came up with the details of the plot and the methods to carry it out, that he wanted to blow himself up inside the capitol building using a mack 10 gun to shoot security and getting as deeply inside the capitol as he could before that vest went off. he made arrangements with a colleague, was really an undercover agent, to push a button for him if he was subdued. the 29-year-old moroccan came to the united states as a teenager and overstayed his visa living illegally in alexandria. the sting operation itself has been underway now for months. >> he's one of those reminders that washington is a frequent target of many. thank you. our team coverage on this capitol bomb plot continues with our ken molestina. as mentioned, he lived in alexandria where we find ken tonight of. >> reporter: we're here along the 3300 block of wyndham circle in alexandria watching fbi agents and alexandria police come in and out of this apartment complex where we're at now. it's called the point apartment complex. let's show you video of what it looked like behind the gates a little bit ago. 9news was able to get this video of the 33008 building here on wyndham circle. it's believed el khalifi lived on the first floor. police and fbi could be seen standing guard as agents raided the apartment. what they were looking for or what they found inside we still don't know. neighbors i spoke to didn't seem to know el khalifi but were shocked to hear a suspected terrorist who according to authorities had every intention of blowing up the capitol lived right here. >> just that it was all going on right under my nose, you know, like that whole -- what could have happened if that undercover sting wouldn't have happened. i mean that would have just come right out of here. >> reporter: as we've mentioned, this is an ongoing investigation. let's take you to arlington where we understand fbi agent with the joint terrorism task force have shown up along the 1600 block of south randolph. we understand investigation there is linked to a larger investigation of el khalifi. they did execute a search warrant and agents did interview at least two other men in that location. back out live here alexandria, a lot of folks who are arriving home from work are being greeted by large media presence and the police who are still inside. we understand near raiding the home of el khalifi. -- here raged the home of el khalifi. -- raiding the home of el khalifi. i was told at about the time that the suspect was arrested at the capitol there were muslim prayer services going on inside. so had this actually been an attack that was carried out we understand that a lot of folks were praying at that time would have more than likely also died as a result of this. back to you. >> ken molestina in alexandria, thank you. a newly renovated high school that just reopened burst into flames today. at least two firefighters were injured battling the fire at anacostia high school shortly after noon. it looks like the fire was started by workers on the roof and tonight we're hearing from one parent who says he warned school officials something like in could happen. our kristin fisher joins us live from the school with more on that huge fire. >> reporter: we just found out that those two injured firefighters had just been released from the hospital, great news there and also as you can see, this fire is now out, but there are still so many questions about what exactly caused this fire, especially since as you said, this school has been under construction the last year and a half and what they've done is sectioned it off so that this part of the school is still open to students, but this part over here, all the way to your left, that has been closed off. that's what's being renovated and that is where the fire started. a d.c. firefighter is holded into an ambulance after falling through the roof of anacostia high school. >> we had two members injured. one went to the hospital. what i can tell you is they don't have life threatening injuries and are in stable condition. >> reporter: initial reports indicate the fire started on the roof and was fueled by high winds and a large volume of roofing material. sophomore tamika hawkins had just gotten to gym class when the fire broke out. >> it was a lot of smoke like dark black smoke. >> reporter: she was among the hundreds of students evacuated to the football field. >> i was real scared. i called my mother. i was getting ready to cry. people were calling their moyers, taking pictures of it sending it to -- mothers, taking pictures of it sending it to their parents of. >> reporter: incredibly everyone made it out okay, but a security officer at the school was treated for smoke inhalation. >> it's terrible, but i'm just thankful that we were able to evacuate all of you, people, that everybody is safe. >> reporter: but this parent and former football coach says the students should have never been in the school that's under construction. in fact, he says there's already been two construction- related incidents at this school in the last two years. >> they use a saw with flammable materials up on the roof that got into the heat and duct system, so they had to evacuate the students then. they had to take them out. they had one instance where they busted a sewer pipe and the kids had to eat lunch outside. we're the only school under modernization that they never found swing space for because they said it was a money issue. if our children's safety is just about money, they need to move these kids from this building. >> reporter: so far d.c. public schools has not responded to those allegations and say right now they are focusing on figuring out how to get this school back open. fortunately, of course, this is a long weekend, so they have a bit more time, but right now they don't know what's going to happen tuesday, if they'll have students here, they have to move them to another building or if school will simply be canceled. they will be in touch with parents over the long weekend. back to you. >> kristin fisher, thanks. for the past two weeks we've reported on the serious problem of underage drinking, putting a spotlight on the issue right here in our backyard. as a result of this series of reports, 9news received a tip this afternoon regarding a local liquor inspector charged today with extortion. scott broom has more on the inspector accused of shaking down a wheaton restaurant owner to make some violations go away. >> reporter: according to court documents, montgomery county liquor inspector carlos grajada was under surveillance not once, but twice when he allegedly took cash from the owner of the matamoros restaurant in wheaton. the owner called police last month after grajada allegedly offered to erase two violation warnings and give advance warning of future inspections in exchange for $1,000. police were watching when grajada arrived in a county car january 30th and allegedly took his first $500 payment. then thursday detectives were there again and busted grajada after he left the restaurant. in his pocket $500 in cash marked by police. >> from surveillance conducted by detectives it appears that he was driving a county vehicle and was on duty at the time. detectives are now working to determine if there are additional victims. >> reporter: with at least 40 latino owned establishments in wheaton alone, grajada may have had fertile ground. his picture appeared in his agency's 2009 annual report showing teaching establishment operators how to comply with liquor laws. grajada is now charged with two counts of extortion by a public employee, both felonies. he's been released on bond. scott broom, 9 news now. the montgomery county department of liquor control oversees at least 1,000 establishments and inspectors are on the front lines of preventing underage drinking and serving to intoxicated customers. we do have some major developments to tell you about related to our ongoing investigation of a northwest d.c. liquor store that has allegedly been selling alcohol to minors for years now. 9 news now aired a report february 1st about town square market which documented those sales and andrea mccarren is here now after being able to corner a d.c. government official and ask them some very tough questions. >> yes, we did. in fact, deputy mayor paul qaunder prepared for his interview by grilling abra and wanted to know why after two months after it learned about sales to minors at this liquor store that business is still in operation today. >> i was shocked. >> that was the reaction of d.c.'s deputy mayor for public safety and justice to our ongoing reports of rampant underage alcohol sales at town square market on macarthur boulevard in northwest. >> when i saw the report, i was concerned about this at the time. i was concerned about what montgomery county had uncovered. >> montgomery county police had issued at least 36 alcohol citations over five nights in december, citations to which they alerted abra that same month. remarkably police issued two more alcohol citations just this last weekend, both minors being cited for their third time all for purchases made at town square market. >> i'm not happy about the way the speed at which things have taken and been pursued. >> we asked montgomery county police who are nabbing underage buyers after they cross the district line whether town square market should be shut down. >> absolutely. the whole time we were down think don't think i saw one of age person go into that place. it was just one child after another. >> young people having access to alcohol is dangerous. it hurts them. it hurts their families, but it brings into play all sorts of danger and it's just unacceptable. >> in the wake of our report d.c. officials are urging residents to report underage drinking or sales to minors. what assurances can you give people who call this hotline that things might move more swiftly? >> my name is paul quander. i'm the deputy mayor for public safety and justice. it's my responsibility. they can call me. >> we know we will. grab pain and piece of paper because you want -- a pen and a piece of paper because you will want to take down these phone numbers. to report underage drinking call 202-329-6347. monday through friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. you can call 202-442-4423 and we will also post those phone numbers on our website www.wusa9.com. >> now another interesting development is that after our reports abra will now meet later this month at local universities and police from all the surrounding jurisdictions including montgomery and prince george's counties as well as northern virginia. they all hope to figure out the best way to share this type of information so investigations can be more efficient and completed more quickly, certainly more quickly than two months and still ongoing. >> yeah, but there's something you don't see every day and that's a public official taking personal responsibility. you got to like that. >> really appreciate his talking to us. still ahead on 9 news now family members of pop superstar whitney houston gather in new jersey today to mourn the singer's sudden death. did a popular reston zoo drown a wallaby on purpose? that's what these court documents allege. only on 9 we're talking about a popular place for families with small kids who love animals, but tonight the reston zoo is under investigation by the fairfax county police department for possible animal cruelty. peggy fox has just come back and reviewed some court documents. it's kind of disturbing. >> yes, it is. this is a search warrant that police executed yesterday at the reston zoo. they were looking for signs of animal cruelty, specifically the allegation that the zoo's director euthanized a sick animal by drowning it. >> oh, my goodness, that's horrible. oh, my god, disgusting. >> reporter: this neighbor is stunned at the allegations surrounding the director of the reston zoo. it's a popular petting zoo for families which also hosts birthday parties for children. it houses a variety of animals such as goats and camels and chickens and turkeys and until recently a wallaby like this one found on youtube, but thursday morning fairfax county police executed this search warrant after an employee at the zoo said the zoo director had drowned a sick wallaby as a means of euthanasia. in the search warrant the employee put the wallaby in a crate and later observed the empty crate next to a water spigot with a 5-gallon bucket of water. the employee found a trash bag containing a wallaby which was profusely wet. the director said she euthanized the wallaby by injection, but the officer found no blood at the supposed injection site and noticed the dead animal was wet. the director told the officer that they routinely wash and rinse the bodies. an employee who spoke to 9 news now off camera says she doesn't believe the allegation and supports the director. if the director did euthanize the animal with an injection, that's a problem also for the zoo because the officer who led the search found that the reston zoo is not permitted to perform euthanasia because it has not completed the required protocol, training and certification required. right here are more problems. this is a list of the drugs police seized and they include ketamine, a controlled substance which again the zoo does not have a permit to carry according to the police officer writing this warrant. even if you have a legitimate reason for using the drugs, you can't just have them without permits and documentation and keeping them in safe places and having people who are trained to use them. >> absolutely. these are controlled substances and can end up on the straits. peggy fox, thank -- on the streets. peggy fox, thank you. >> look at the twinge until his eye. he can't even stand -- twinkle in his eye. he can't even stand still he's so excited. >> we're going to see some snow. it's not going to be a monster storm or a perfect storm, but it's all we got, my friend. we're hanging on for dear life. let's look outside live at the capitol, just a beautiful evening. the winds have calmed down. we're in pretty good shape and temperatures are quite mild actually. we're in pretty good shape for mid- to late february, 52 downtown, winds calming down out of the north at 10. remember the dew points yesterday in the low 40s? now the dew point is in the mid- 20s. so the air is a little drier, a little more winter-like, if you will, humidity 34%. let's go through the bullet points again. you can keep your saturday night plans, probably will start as rain south and east of town. so calvert county, st. mary's county, even charles county but it will change to snow between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. sunday and the critical times have not changed, 11 a.m. sunday to about 11 p.m. sunday. you can probably still go to church. nothing will really happen big time until the mid- to late afternoon. howie showed you this at noon and this pretty much holds true. we'll give you an idea where the bull's eye might be in terms of a high, the best chance for snow threat is actually south and west of us. down towards charlottesville and roanoke, they could get just hammered and even into charles county and northern sections of st. mary's and calvert county could end up being the bulls i'm the rest of us have a medium. notice the farther north you go the less chance you have of seeing snow. it's going to be kind of counterintuitive. we talk about more snow north and west, not the case. we showed you new mexico yesterday. we'll zoom into texas and louisiana today because this is the moisture. it will kick off a storm that will develop in the gulf of mexico and that's going to move northeastward into alabama and eventually off the north carolina coast sunday. not a direct hit for us, not a perfect storm, but pretty much all we got. 50 now in bethesda, 51 rockville, 50 great falls and 52 in springfield, even still 51 in arlington, a very nice evening. so more like a march storm. i say that because we're in the 50s now and will be in the 50s tuesday. grab a coat tonight, still mild and nice tomorrow, no worries saturday night. we had a heavy burst of snow or whatever burst it is, but it's heavy or moderate. the heaviest will be between 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. sunday. tonight clear skies, chilly, one to two blanket night, 28 to 38 and still above freezing downtown, winds out of the northwest at 10. for tomorrow morning mostly sunny and chilly, very nice, 30s and 40s, winds north at 10 and by afternoon high clouds come in but still a very pleasant day, high temperatures around 55 and winds southwesterly at about 10. next seven days. we're going to decline sunday a severe weather alert day because of the snow, temperatures in the 30s and falling and we're looking at a bright brisk presidents day with sunshine, temperatures in the 40s. look what happens, back in the 50s tuesday and wednesday with some more showers. so there you have it. right now the bull's eye is south and west of town, not north and west of town. >> woo-hoo. >> kids are going to love this weekend. coming up prince george's county executive rushern baker explains why he wants to build a las vegas style casino at national harbor. up next how the cost of a laptop could be a deciding factor in the yeardley love murder trial. we'll be right back. deal chicken is working hard to find only the best deals in town. here's today's deal just for you. 50% off nascar driving experience from try it racing. deal chickchicken.com, hatching deals daily. the fate of george huguely could turn on the price of a laptop. a defense expert testified today in charlottesville that the laptop the former uva lacrosse player allegedly stole after struggling with yeardley love was worth less than $200. that laptop has to be worth more than $200 for jurors to convict him of murder in the commission of a robbery. he's also charged with first degree murder, but that count requires prosecutors to prove he intended to kill his girl friend. the verdict is guilty in the case of a man charged with killing a maryland state trooper. cyril williams was charged with killing trooper wesley brown in june of 2010. brown was working as a part- time security guard for an applebee's restaurant in forestville. prosecutors say williams was angry about being thrown out of the restaurant and looking for revenge. dozens of police commanders and troopers have been in the courtroom for the trial. caught on tape two gunmen tie up a clerk at a fredericksburg check cashing store on plank road. the suspects robbed the place, tied up the clerk's hands and feet. last