Police in Indiana are investigating after an elderly woman died after an argument over an order at a Tim Hortons store.
Last week, officers responded to a report of an alleged assault involving a 75-year-old woman, later identified as Anita Grayson, and a 20-year-old Tim Hortons employee, according to a Fort Wayne Police Department news release. Police have not released the names of the Tim Hortons employees involved in the incident.
Police said detectives learned that Grayson entered the Tim Hortons store to “address an issue with an order he received at the drive-thru.” Once inside the store, Grayson allegedly began “beating a 17-year-old female employee.”
Police said the 20-year-old shift leader intervened and asked Grayson to leave the store, and that the shift leader made a move on Grayson to prevent him from approaching the 17-year-old employee.
Police said Grayson allegedly shoved the shift lead and punched him in the face, and security footage of the incident was also released. The video shows an altercation between Grayson and a shift worker on the floor of the Tim Hortons.
The incident escalated into a fight, and the woman’s death is under investigation.
Police said the shift lead had both wounds and a “clump of hair” had also been removed from her head. After the fight, Grayson sat down at a table and then picked up “the shift leader’s hair from the floor” and placed it on top of her bag, police said.
Shortly afterward, police said Grayson was lying on the floor and a shift leader checked on her and brought her a cup of water. When officers arrived, Grayson was found unresponsive and taken to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
“The Fort Wayne Police Department recognizes that any loss of life is tragic. When the circumstances of a death are not immediately apparent, the circumstances must be thoroughly and professionally investigated,” police said.
Police said no arrests have been made in connection with the death and the cause of Grayson’s death has not been determined.
In an emailed statement to USA TODAY, Tim Hortons said local franchisees where the incident occurred are “fully cooperating with police.”
“We are deeply saddened to learn of this incident. Our hearts go out to Anita Grayson’s loved ones,” Tim Hortons said in a statement.
Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Contact us at fernando.cervantes@usatodayco.com and follow us at X @fern_cerv_.
