Shocking surveillance footage captured the moment a raging elderly woman flew into a frenzy at Tim Hortons workers before suffering a sudden fatal heart attack.
Incident Details
Anita Grayson, 75, was seen berating young workers at the coffee shop in Fort Wayne, Indiana, on May 13, as she complained about a mistake in her drive-thru order. The encounter escalated after a 20-year-old employee told Grayson to leave, which police say led her to forcefully shove the staff member and another employee. Grayson then struck one of the workers in the face and ripped out a lock of her hair, police say.
In response, a worker swung her arms wildly at Grayson and knocked her over, before she stood up and was brought a cup of water by the store manager to calm down. Police say that Grayson was unresponsive when officers arrived ten minutes later and she was pronounced dead from a heart attack after medics took her from the scene.
Social Media Reaction
A segment of the footage showing Grayson being knocked over was shared to social media by her daughter Tawnda, leading to calls for the Tim Hortons workers to be arrested. Police then released the full video showing Grayson attacked the workers first, saying they hoped the full context would alleviate the uneasiness that many felt after seeing the video.
Family Response
Tawnda Grayson said she is not satisfied with the response from police showing her mother initiated the fight, saying she is devastated by her loss. 'My mother was wronged in the worst way,' she told 21Alive. 'I lost the matriarch of my family.' She said an anonymous person texted her surveillance video of the incident, which she said she took as an answered prayer.
'I just called out to God, we need to see it. I have to see that — please show me — because I need to at least know how, why,' Tawnda said. She said she has been left confused and heartbroken by her mother's death, accusing the coffee shop workers of playing a role in her heart attack. 'You should not enter a coffee shop for a coffee and a doughnut and come out unalived,' she added. 'That is diabolical.'
Medical Findings
The Allen County Coroner’s Office has not ruled on Grayson’s cause and manner of death, but preliminary findings show there were no significant contributory injuries that contributed to her heart attack. Tawnda said her mother had congestive heart failure, but said she does not accept the police's account of the incident and believes her mother should not have died.
'That’s an elderly lady. That’s not how we treat our senior citizens,' she said. '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
Following backlash on social media, the Fort Wayne Police Department said it understood the public concern but said early footage of her being shoved over was out of context. The police department urged the public to allow the review process to proceed based on the full body of evidence, not incomplete video clips or inaccurate narratives.
The Daily Mail has reached out to Tim Hortons for comment.
