Anita Grayson died after a fight inside the restaurant over a drive-thru order.
FORT WAYNE, Ind. — A 75-year-old woman died after a May 13 fight with a Tim Hortons employee in Fort Wayne, and police have sent the case to prosecutors for review.
Anita Ann Grayson entered the Tim Hortons on Ice Way about 8:09 a.m. after what police described as a problem with a drive-thru order. Minutes later, she was involved in a physical fight with a 20-year-old shift lead. Police said Grayson later became unresponsive inside the store and was pronounced dead after being taken to a hospital.
Fort Wayne police said Grayson first argued with a 17-year-old employee before the shift lead stepped between them and told Grayson to leave. Police said Grayson tried to move toward the teen employee, and the shift lead placed her hands against Grayson to block her. The department said Grayson then shoved the shift lead and struck her in the face at about 8:12 a.m. Police said the fight continued until two other employees helped separate them.
Investigators said surveillance video showed Grayson grabbing the shift lead by the hair and pulling her to the floor. Police said the employee suffered scratches, lost her glasses and had hair pulled from her head. After the fight ended, police said Grayson sat at a table, spoke on her cellphone and placed the employee’s hair into her bag. At about 8:22 a.m., police said, Grayson lay down on the floor.
The shift lead then checked on Grayson and brought her a cup of water, police said. Another employee also checked on her before officers arrived. Grayson was unresponsive when police reached the scene. Medics performed lifesaving measures and transported her to a hospital, where she was later pronounced dead. Police said homicide detectives and crime scene staff reviewed video, interviewed witnesses and documented the scene.
The Allen County Coroner’s Office had not ruled on Grayson’s cause and manner of death as of the police update. Officials said preliminary autopsy findings showed no significant contributory injuries. Police said the case file was sent May 19 to the Allen County Prosecutor’s Office. The prosecutor’s office had not announced a charging decision.
Grayson’s family has disputed the police account. Her daughter, Tawnda Grayson, said her mother should still be alive and described her as the matriarch of the family. She also said her mother had congestive heart failure and had recently been wearing a heart monitor. “My mother was wronged in the worst way,” Tawnda Grayson said.
Fort Wayne officials said they released a fuller account and video because shorter clips had spread online and raised public concern. Mayor Sharon Tucker said people should not draw conclusions before all facts are released. City Councilwoman Rohli Booker criticized the tone of the police release, saying it felt like victim blaming.
The case remains under review by prosecutors. The coroner’s final ruling and any charging decision are the next major steps.
Author note: Last updated May 23, 2026.