Police in Fort Wayne, Indiana, have released surveillance video and a statement after an altercation in a local Tim Hortons ended with a 75-year-old customer dead of a heart attack.
The incident took place just after 8 a.m. on the morning of May 13. In the video, Anita Grayson, 75, can be seen entering the restaurant at 3975 Ice Way in the northern Indiana city, police say, to address an issue with an order she had received at the drive-through.
After standing at the counter for about a minute, Grayson is seen arguing with a 17-year-old female employee, both parties gesturing intensely with their hands. (The video does not include sound.)
Next, a 20-year-old shift lead steps between Grayson and the employee. Police say the shift lead repeatedly told Grayson to leave. Grayson moves toward the younger employee, at which point the shift lead places her hands against Grayson to hold her back. Grayson then shoves the shift lead backward and takes a swing at her, striking her face.
The shift lead reacts and moves toward Grayson, swinging her arms and pushing her backward. The two end up in a tussle on the floor, as two other employees move in to separate them.
Police say that during the fight, Grayson grabbed the shift lead’s face, leaving scratches and knocking off her glasses. “During the struggle, Ms. Grayson pulled a chunk of hair from the shift lead’s head, leaving a raw area on the top of her head,” they said in a press release . The video highlights the shift lead’s hair on the floor.
Police say that at 8:22 a.m. Grayson lay down on the floor and the shift lead went to check on her, bringing her a cup of water. “A (Fort Wayne Police Department) officer then arrived and found Ms. Grayson unresponsive. Medics arrived and began life-saving measures. Ms. Grayson was transported from the scene and was later pronounced deceased by medical personnel.”
Police say they released the information to counter “a dangerously false narrative (that) has led to significant public concern and misinformation. For that reason, and because it is in the public interest, FWPD is releasing the facts of the case along with a clear and complete video of the events that occurred inside Tim Hortons.”
A segment of the surveillance footage that starts with Grayson being knocked over had been shared on social media by her daughter, Tawnda Grayson, leading to calls for the Tim Hortons workers to be arrested.
“My mother was wronged in the worst way,” Tawnda told local news . “You should not enter a coffee shop for a coffee and a doughnut and come out unalived. That is diabolical.”
She added: “That’s an 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 say homicide detectives and crime scene personnel conducted a full death investigation. “Detectives interviewed witnesses, collected and reviewed surveillance video, gathered evidence, and fully documented the scene,” they said. “The Allen County Coroner’s Office was contacted, and an autopsy was requested. At this time, the cause and manner of death remain pending.” The file was sent to the Allen County Prosecutor’s Office for review on Tuesday.
“The Fort Wayne Police Department recognizes that any loss of life is tragic,” police added. “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.”
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