UPDATE (July 8, 2026):
The Allen County Coroner has ruled on the death of a woman at the center of a physical confrontation at Tim Hortons in May.
Police say that Anita Grayson, 75, entered the restaurant after an issue with her order. An altercation with two employees followed before she fell to the ground and later died. The case drew significant attention both locally and nationally.
The coroner now says her death was caused by heart failure. The manner of death is still undetermined.
The Allen County Coroner’s Office released the following:
On May 13, 2026, the Allen County Coroner’s Office was notified by a local hospital regarding the death of an individual involved in a verbal and physical altercation at a local Tim Hortons, 3900 block of Ice Way, Fort Wayne, Indiana. Emergency personnel were summoned and Three Rivers Ambulance Authority transported the decedent to a local hospital where death was pronounced.
The autopsy has been completed, and the decedent has been positively identified as Anita Ann Grayson, a female, Black, age 75, of Fort Wayne, Indiana.
Anita Ann Grayson’s cause of death is Acute Exacerbation of Congestive Heart Failure in Setting of Physical Altercation, and the manner of death is Undetermined. The autopsy findings noted “No Significant Contributory Injuries”.
The incident remains under investigation by the Fort Wayne Police Department, the Allen County Prosecutor’s Office and the Allen County Coroner’s Office.
ORIGINAL STORY:
FORT WAYNE, Ind. (ADAMS) – The Fort Wayne Police Department has released video from an incident at Tim Hortons that turned physical before a woman died.
Police say that Anita Grayson, 75, entered the restaurant after an issue with her order. An altercation with two employees followed before she fell to the ground and later died.
The coroner is still trying to figure out exactly what happened to Grayson.
(See report below)
The following was released by the FWPD along with the video from Tim Hortons:
The Fort Wayne Police Department recognizes that any loss of life is tragic. When the circumstances surrounding a death are not immediately clear, those circumstances must be thoroughly and professionally investigated.
Following the incident that occurred at the Tim Hortons on May 13, 2026, involving 75-year- old Anita Grayson and a store employee, FWPD 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. 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 completed investigative file was sent to the Allen County Prosecutor’s Office for review on May 19, 2026.
(Watch the full video through the link or HERE)
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. 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.
These are the facts:
At approximately 8:09 a.m., Ms. Grayson entered the Tim Hortons to address an issue with an order she had received through the drive-thru. Once inside, Ms. Grayson began berating a 17-year-old female employee. A 20-year-old shift lead then stepped between Ms. Grayson and the juvenile employee and repeatedly told Ms. Grayson to leave the business.
Ms. Grayson then appeared to move around the shift lead toward the juvenile employee. The shift lead placed her hands against Ms. Grayson in an apparent effort to prevent her from reaching the juvenile employee. Ms. Grayson then forcefully shoved the shift lead backward. At 8:12 a.m. Ms. Grayson then struck the shift lead on the left side of the nose with her right hand.
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. Ms. Grayson then grabbed the shift lead by the hair and pulled her to the ground and rolled on top of her. The shift lead can be seen swatting at Grayson’s arm as she is being held by her hair. Two Tim Hortons employees moved in and attempted to separate them but struggled to get the shift lead’s hair out of Grayson’s hand. 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.
The parties eventually separated. The shift lead’s hair can be seen falling from Ms. Grayson’s hand onto the floor. The employees retreated behind the counter, and Ms. Grayson sat down at a table and began speaking on her cellphone. At one point, Ms. Grayson picked up the shift lead’s hair from the floor and placed it into her bag.
At 8:22 a.m. Ms. Grayson laid down on the floor. The shift lead noticed and went to check on her, bringing her a cup of water. An additional employee also checked on Ms. Grayson as she laid on the floor. A FWPD 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.
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.
The Allen County Coroner’s Office released the following on Tuesday:
On May 13, 2026, the Allen County Coroner’s Office was notified by a local hospital regarding the death of an individual involved in a verbal and physical altercation at a local Tim Hortons, 3900 block of Ice Way, Fort Wayne, Indiana. Emergency personnel were summoned and Three Rivers Ambulance Authority transported the decedent to a local hospital where death was pronounced.
The autopsy has been completed, and the decedent has been positively identified as Anita Ann Grayson, a female, Black, age 75, of Fort Wayne, Indiana.
Anita Ann Grayson’s cause of death is Pending, and the manner of death is Pending. The preliminary autopsy findings noted “No Significant Contributory Injuries”.
The incident remains under investigation by the Fort Wayne Police Department, the Allen County Prosecutor’s Office and the Allen County Coroner’s Office.
Statement from Mayor Sharon Tucker on incident at Tim Hortons:
The incident at the Tim Hortons on Ice Way has raised concerns in the community.I want the public to know that the Fort Wayne Police Department has kept me informed of the investigation that they are conducting. It is being performed with professionalism and detail.It’s important for each of us to not draw conclusions until all of the facts have been released. I’m hopeful that the video and narrative that will be released by the Fort Wayne Police Department later today will help alleviate the uneasiness that many individuals have felt over the past few days.A life was lost and we mourn. I’m hopeful that through this difficult situation we can come together as a community with a spirit of understanding and respect for one another. Let’s surround the family with care while they prepare to lay their loved one to rest.
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