A clerk tells 27 NEWSFIRST a woman said she was sorry before robbing the Shell gas station on Newtown Pike at New at New Circle Road early Thursday morning. She then told the clerk to get into the cooler.

That woman has been identified as 30-year old Lavonna Marie Dillon. When Lexington Police arrived to the scene, they say she took the clerk hostage and began firing at them, when they fired back.

The two officers who police say were involved in the shooting are Lt. Raymond Roller, a 14-year veteran of the Lexington Police Department, and Officer Jarrod Jones, who was hired in 2005.

Police say Dillon had an automatic weapon and had taken a gas station employee hostage after the robbery that occurred shortly before 3:00am. They say the two officers involved were near the store at the time and made it to the scene quickly. They confronted Dillon as she left the Shell through the back door. That when police say she shot at the officers who then returned fire.

Police say the employee was not hurt. Lt. Roller and Officer Jones have been placed on modified duty as the investigation continues.

27 NEWSFIRST spoke with David Fitzpatrick, the clerk who was taken hostage. He returned to work Thursday after the incident. Though shaken up, he says he's doing okay.

27NEWSFIRST spoke with neighbors who used to live next to Dillon, saying about 4 weeks ago she and her two little girls received an eviction notice on their home.

Saying one day they came with a U-Haul and packed everything up and left. Dillon's neighbor says the two girls were taken by their father, Dillion's ex-husband, and are currently living with him and his parents.

The same neighbors also think Dillon could be responsible for a cash store robbery on June 23rd, saying the description of the car and the person with the robber match Dillon and her friend.

Police are looking into the connection, but have not said the crimes are connected.