A 75-year-old woman died following a physical altercation with a shift lead at a Fort Wayne, Indiana, Tim Hortons restaurant, according to the Fort Wayne Police Department.
The case has drawn public attention after low-quality video footage spread online, fueling what investigators are calling a "dangerously false narrative."
A 20-year-old shift lead then stepped in, positioning herself between Grayson and the teenager, and repeatedly told Grayson to leave. When Grayson appeared to move around the shift lead toward the younger worker, the shift lead placed her hands against Grayson in what police described as an attempt to block her path.
The confrontation quickly escalated. Police said that Grayson shoved the shift lead backward and then hit her on the left side of the nose with her right hand. The shift lead responded by moving toward Grayson and swinging her arms. During the struggle that followed, Grayson scratched the shift lead's face and knocked off her glasses, then grabbed her by the hair and pulled her to the ground, rolling on top of her.
After the two separated, Grayson sat at a table and spoke on her cellphone. At one point, police said she grabbed the hair from the floor and placed it into her bag. At 8:22 a.m.—roughly 10 minutes after the altercation—Grayson lay down on the floor. The shift lead noticed and went to check on her, bringing her a cup of water. Another employee also approached to check on her.
When a police officer arrived, Grayson was unresponsive. Police said that medics began life-saving measures and transported her from the scene. She was later pronounced dead by medical personnel.
Homicide detectives and crime scene personnel conducted a full death investigation, interviewing witnesses, collecting evidence, and reviewing surveillance footage. The Allen County Coroner's Office was contacted, and an autopsy was requested; the cause and manner of death remain pending.
"We were deeply saddened to learn about this incident and our heartfelt condolences go out to the loved ones of Anita Grayson,” Tim Hortons said in a statement to news outlets.
NTD News has contacted Tim Hortons seeking additional details.