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An Indiana woman is dead after authorities say she got into a physical fight with a fast food restaurant manager over an order dispute.
Anita Grayson, 75, visited a Tim Hortons in Fort Wayne on Wednesday, May 13 to “address an issue with an order she had received through the drive-thru,” the Fort Wayne Police Department (FWPD) said in a press release.
Once inside the restaurant, police said Grayson began “berating” a 17-year-old female employee, which caused a 20-year-old manager to intervene and make repeated requests for Grayson to leave.
According to police, Grayson subsequently “appeared to move around the shift lead toward the juvenile employee,” which caused her to place “her hands against Grayson in an apparent effort to prevent her from reaching” the minor.
Anita Grayson, 75, died after a physical altercation with a Tim Hortons employee in Fort Wayne, Ind., on May 13, 2026. (Anita Grayson/Facebook)
The altercation quickly turned physical as Grayson “forcefully shoved the shift lead backward” and “then struck the shift lead on the left side of the nose with her right hand,” police said.
The shift lead then attempted to strike Grayson, who police said grabbed the 20-year-old’s face, knocked off her glasses and grabbed her by the hair while dragging her to the ground.
Grayson then rolled on top of the shift lead, with video footage showing her attempting to swat Grayson’s arm as she was being held by her hair.
Surveillance footage shows Anita Grayson speaking with a Tim Hortons employee to address an issue with an order in Fort Wayne, Ind., on May 13, 2026. (Fort Wayne Police Department)
Two employees jumped in to break up the altercation, in which Grayson “pulled a chunk of hair” from the shift lead’s head.
Grayson then sat down at a nearby table and began speaking on the phone before retrieving the shift lead’s clump of hair and placing it in her purse, according to police.
Surveillance footage shows Anita Grayson in a physical altercation with a Tim Hortons employee in Fort Wayne, Ind., on May 13, 2026. (Fort Wayne Police Department)
Approximately 10 minutes later, police said Grayson laid down on the floor and was unresponsive when the shift lead came to offer her a cup of water.
First responders arrived at the scene and attempted to perform life-saving measures before transporting Grayson to the hospital, where she was later pronounced dead.
Surveillance footage shows Anita Grayson in a physical altercation with a Tim Hortons employee in Fort Wayne, Ind., on May 13, 2026, while police examine a clump of hair pulled from the employee’s head. (Fort Wayne Police Department)
Footage released by the department shows the physical altercation between Grayson and the shift lead, but does not include the moment the 75-year-old laid down on the floor.
In a report released Tuesday, the Allen County Coroner’s Office told WANE-TV that an autopsy found “no significant contributory injuries” on Grayson’s body.
Her cause and manner of death remain pending, and a completed investigative file has been forwarded to local prosecutors, according to FWPD.
In the initial news release, police acknowledged “the public concern surrounding the case.”
“The Fort Wayne Police Department recognizes that any loss of life is tragic,” authorities said. “When the circumstances surrounding a death are not immediately clear, those circumstances must be thoroughly and professionally investigated.”
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Speaking to WPTA, Tawanda Grayson, the woman’s daughter, blasted the employees’ actions before her mother’s death.
“My mother was wronged in the worst way,” Tawanda Grayson said. “You should not enter a coffee shop for a coffee and a doughnut and come out unalived. That is diabolical.”
A GoFundMe created by Grayson’s loved ones to cover funeral expenses described the 75-year-old as “a God-fearing woman with a loving spirit who dedicated her life to her faith, her children, and her family.”
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“She was the best mother anyone could ask for — hardworking, compassionate, selfless, and always willing to help others before herself,” the fundraiser continued. “She lovingly raised four children and was the heart of our entire family. Anita’s strength, wisdom, and unconditional love touched everyone who knew her.”
Fox News Digital reached out to the Fort Wayne Police Department, Tim Hortons and Allen County Prosecutor’s Office for comment.