Elderly woman dies after altercation with worker at Indiana Tim Hortons
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Police say surveillance footage captured a confrontation between a customer and employees before the woman was hospitalized and later died.
Police in Fort Wayne are investigating the death of a 75-year-old woman, Anita Grayson, following an altercation inside a Tim Hortons restaurant last week.
According to the Fort Wayne Police Department, as reported by Indianapolis’ WTHR 13, officers responded on May 13 to reports of a battery at the Tim Hortons location on Ice Way near Lima Road and West Coliseum Boulevard.
Police said Grayson entered the restaurant after experiencing an issue with a drive-thru order. Once inside, authorities say she began arguing with and “berating” a 17-year-old employee working at the restaurant.
A 20-year-old shift lead then stepped in and reportedly asked Grayson to leave the store. According to police, the employee placed her hands on Grayson in an attempt to prevent her from reaching the younger worker.
Authorities say Grayson then shoved the shift lead backward and struck her in the face. Security footage reviewed by investigators reportedly showed the confrontation escalating, with both individuals ending up on the floor during the struggle.
Police said the employee suffered scratches and had a portion of her hair pulled out during the altercation. Investigators noted that surveillance video appeared to show hair falling from Grayson’s hand during the fight.
Shortly after the incident, Grayson was transported to a local hospital, where she was later pronounced dead. Officials have not yet determined her exact cause of death.
As of Tuesday, no arrests had been made, and police emphasized that the investigation remains ongoing while detectives wait for medical findings and continue reviewing evidence.
In a statement, the Fort Wayne Police Department said any loss of life is tragic and stressed the importance of conducting a thorough investigation whenever the circumstances surrounding a death are unclear.
The department also released surveillance footage connected to the case as part of the investigation.
Police have not announced whether any charges could be filed pending the outcome of the medical examiner’s report and further review of the incident.