An elderly woman in Indiana has died following a physical altercation with a Tim Hortons employee over a drive-thru order issue, according to police. The incident occurred on May 13 at a Tim Hortons location in Fort Wayne.
Incident Details
Surveillance footage released by the Fort Wayne Police Department (FWPD) shows Anita Grayson, 75, entering the coffee shop just after 8 a.m. to address a problem with her drive-thru order. Once inside, Grayson approached the counter and began berating a 17-year-old female employee, police said. A 20-year-old shift lead intervened, stepping between Grayson and the employee, and repeatedly instructed Grayson to leave the premises.
The footage then shows Grayson pushing the shift lead and striking her in the face. In response, the shift lead lunged at Grayson, swinging her arms, causing both women to fall to the ground. During the struggle, Grayson grabbed the shift lead's face, dislodging her glasses, and pulled out a chunk of her hair, according to FWPD.
Aftermath and Medical Emergency
Two other Tim Hortons employees eventually separated the women. The employees returned to the counter, while Grayson is seen sitting at a table and speaking on a cell phone. Shortly thereafter, she lay down on the floor. The shift lead checked on her and brought her a cup of water, though this was not captured on footage, police said.
A FWPD officer arrived and found Grayson unresponsive. Medics performed life-saving measures and transported her from the scene, but she was later pronounced dead by medical personnel.
Family Reaction
Grayson's daughter, Tawnda Grayson, revealed that her mother had congestive heart failure, had recently received a new heart doctor, and was wearing a heart monitor a week before the incident. “My mother was wronged in the worst way,” she told 21Alive. “I lost the matriarch of my family.” She added, “You should not enter a coffee shop for a coffee and a doughnut and come out unalived. That is diabolical.” She expressed concern for how elderly citizens are treated, stating, “That’s the elderly lady. That’s not how we treat our senior citizens... We be careful with them. We make sure that they’re alright. We don’t jump on them and attack them. And scare them to death.”
Police Statement
The FWPD stated it had not initially planned to release the footage but did so to counter “a dangerously false narrative” about the event circulating online. “FWPD understands the public concern surrounding this case. We also recognize the importance of transparency, accuracy, and allowing the investigative and prosecutorial review process to proceed based on the full body of evidence, not incomplete video clips or inaccurate public narratives,” the force added.
Tim Hortons Response
In a statement shared with The Independent, a spokesperson for Tim Hortons said: “We were deeply saddened to learn about this incident and our heartfelt condolences go out to the loved ones of Anita Grayson. The health and safety of our guests and team members is our highest priority and the local franchisee has been cooperating fully with the police.”
