Anita Grayson’s relatives say key questions remain after a fatal restaurant fight.
FORT WAYNE, Ind. — The family of Anita Ann Grayson is challenging the police account of a Tim Hortons fight that ended with the 75-year-old woman’s death earlier this month.
Grayson died after a May 13 altercation inside a Tim Hortons on Ice Way. Fort Wayne police said she went into the restaurant about 8:09 a.m. to complain about a drive-thru order, argued with a teenage worker and fought with a 20-year-old shift lead. Her family says the public record does not fully explain how a dispute inside a coffee shop ended in death.
Tawnda Grayson, Anita Grayson’s daughter, said relatives received video from inside the restaurant before police released a fuller version of events. She said the footage left the family angry and searching for answers. “You should not enter a coffee shop for a coffee and a doughnut and come out unalived,” she said. She also said her mother had congestive heart failure, had recently seen a new heart doctor and had been wearing a heart monitor before the fight.
Police said Grayson berated a 17-year-old employee before a shift lead stepped in and ordered her to leave. According to police, the shift lead tried to block Grayson from moving toward the teen worker. Police said Grayson shoved the shift lead, hit her in the face, scratched her and pulled her hair during the fight. Two employees eventually separated them, police said.
After the fight, police said, Grayson sat at a table and spoke by phone. Investigators said she later lay down on the floor at about 8:22 a.m. The shift lead and another employee checked on her before officers arrived. Police said Grayson was unresponsive when they found her. She was taken to a hospital and pronounced dead.
The Allen County Coroner’s Office had not issued a final cause or manner of death. Preliminary findings found no significant contributory injuries, officials said. Fort Wayne police said homicide detectives and crime scene personnel conducted a full death investigation, including witness interviews, surveillance review and evidence collection.
The department said it first released limited information out of respect for Grayson’s family, then released more detail after video clips and public claims spread online. Police said the case should be judged by the full body of evidence rather than incomplete clips. The completed file was sent to the Allen County Prosecutor’s Office on May 19.
The case has drawn public criticism beyond Grayson’s family. Fort Wayne Mayor Sharon Tucker called for patience while facts are reviewed. City Councilwoman Rohli Booker said the police message was disappointing and said the community must treat one another better. Tim Hortons said it was saddened by the incident and that the local franchisee was cooperating with investigators.
No charging decision had been announced. The coroner’s final report and prosecutor’s review will determine the next public steps in the case.
Author note: Last updated May 23, 2026.