- A 75-year-old woman, Anita Grayson, died following a physical altercation at a Tim Hortons in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
- The dispute began over Grayson's dissatisfaction with her drive-thru order and escalated into a fight with a 20-year-old manager.
- Grayson became unresponsive shortly after the fight, and her death is currently under investigation by local authorities.
FORT WAYNE, INDIANA — Months after five people were arrested in the shooting of an Indiana judge and his wife, another Indiana case is drawing attention after a 75-year-old woman died following a fight inside a Tim Hortons. Police say the fight started after the woman became upset about her drive-thru order.
Anita Grayson went into the Tim Hortons in Fort Wayne just after 8 a.m. on May 13. According to police, she began arguing with a 17-year-old female employee about her order.
Argument Inside Tim Hortons
Surveillance footage released by the Fort Wayne Police Department showed Grayson pointing and shouting at the worker. A 20-year-old shift manager then stepped in and told Grayson to leave.
Police said the situation quickly became physical.
According to investigators, Grayson pushed the manager and punched her on the left side of the face. Police said the punch left scratches and knocked the manager’s glasses off.
As the two moved closer to each other, the manager pushed Grayson back. Grayson then shoved her hand into the manager’s face, and the fight continued.
Fight Ends on the Floor
Police said Grayson grabbed the manager by the hair and pulled her to the ground. The two ended up on the floor as other employees tried to separate them.
Investigators said the employees had trouble getting the manager’s hair out of Grayson’s hand. During the struggle, police said Grayson pulled out a chunk of the manager’s hair, leaving a raw area on her head.
After the fight ended, employees returned behind the counter. Grayson sat at a table and made a phone call.
About 10 minutes later, she lay down on the floor.
Woman Later Dies at Hospital
Fort Wayne police responded to a 911 call about an altercation and found Grayson unresponsive.
Paramedics tried to save her at the scene. She was later taken to a hospital, where she died.
Her daughter, Tawnda Grayson, told WPTA that her mother had congestive heart failure and had been wearing a heart monitor just a week before the fight. She said the family wants answers about what happened.
The Allen County Coroner’s Office has not yet ruled on Grayson’s cause and manner of death. Preliminary findings reportedly showed no major injuries that clearly contributed to her death.
Police Release Full Video
Police said they did not originally plan to release the surveillance footage. However, the department said it later shared the video because a shorter clip spreading online showed only part of the fight and created what police called a false version of events.
The investigation is still ongoing while officials wait for the coroner’s final ruling.
To view more cases involving public fights, restaurant incidents, and disputes that turned deadly, check out our video here:
