An elderly woman died after she was jumped and beaten by several employees at a Tim Hortons coffeehouse in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
The incident happened on Wednesday, May 13. Anita Grayson entered Tim Hortons just before 8:10 a.m. to discuss her drive-thru order with a 17-year-old female employee.
According to ABC57, a female shift lead, age 20, stepped between Grayson and the teen and told Grayson to leave. Grayson then tried to go around the shift leader to speak with the teen.
A statement from police claims the shift lead put her hands on Grayson to stop her from reaching the employee. The elderly woman allegedly shoved the shift lead backward.
“At that point, the shift lead reacted and moved toward Ms. Grayson while swinging her arms in an attempt to strike her. During the physical altercation, Ms. Grayson grabbed at the shift lead’s face, leaving scratches and knocking off her glasses,” according to a statement released by police.
Video from inside the shop shows three employees jump on Grayson and shove the senior citizen to the floor.
After the employees walked away, one female worker picked up Grayson’s purse and tossed it. Grayson slowly moved to pick up her personal possessions off the floor, but she did not stand up.
According to police, the shift lead checked on her and gave her a cup of water. When police arrived, Grayson was unresponsive on the floor. She died at a hospital.
The coroner’s office claims the assault did not “significantly contribute” to Anita Grayson’s death.
The Fort Wayne Police Department did not initially release information about the assault out of respect for the victim’s family.
In a statement, the department complained about the “dangerously false narrative” circulating online in response to the “poor quality video.”
“FWPD initially released limited information about this case out of respect for Ms. Grayson’s family and in an effort to avoid causing additional distress following the tragic loss of a loved one. However, a dangerously false narrative, along with poor-quality video circulating publicly, has led to significant public concern and misinformation.”
The workers who attacked Grayson are still employed at the Tim Hortons in Fort Wayne.
A GoFundMe raised over $2,200 for Grayson’s funeral expenses.
NEW: 75-year-old dies after physical fight with 20-year-old shift leader at Fort Wayne Tim Hortons On May 13, 2026. Anita Ann Grayson entered the Tim Hortons lobby on Ice Way/Lima Road in Fort Wayne to complain about her drive-thru order.
pic.twitter.com/tH8tyGvDXN— African champion ? (@membunnamdi1) May 19, 2026