The cause of death for a 75-year-old woman after a violent altercation at a Tim Hortons has been determined as acute exacerbation of congestive heart failure.
On May 13, Anita Grayson entered a Tim Hortons in Fort Wayne, Indiana, with a complaint about her drive-thru order. Police said the irate senior confronted and shouted at a 17-year-old store employee.
A 20-year-old shift manager intervened, ordering Grayson to leave the store. However, Grayson refused to comply and instead headed towards the teen employee. The supervisor responded by placing her hands against Grayson to block her from reaching the employee.
Grayson then shoved the supervisor backwards and punched her in the face. The incident was captured on surveillance cameras and ended after more Tim Hortons employees separated Grayson and the supervisor. Minutes later, Grayson was lying on the floor, unresponsive.
Emergency personnel transported her to the hospital, where she later died. The Allen County Coroner's Office stated that Grayson died of "acute exacerbation of congestive heart failure in the setting of physical altercation."
The coroner's office found that there were "no significant contributory injuries" that led to the woman's death. After Grayson died, police released an edited video of the Tim Hortons altercation.
Grayson's family is pushing for the release of the full video. No charges have been laid in connection with the altercation. The woman's family has set up a fundraiser to help with funeral and legal costs.
