FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WOWO): The Fort Wayne Tim Hortons where 75-year-old Anita Grayson died following an altercation with an employee has reopened after being closed for several weeks, according to WPTA.
WPTA reports that Grayson died after a confrontation with a 20-year-old shift leader at the Tim Hortons on Ice Way on May 13. The incident drew national attention and sparked protests in Fort Wayne, with family members calling for greater transparency from the Fort Wayne Police Department’s investigation.
According to WPTA, Grayson’s family has been shown unedited surveillance footage from inside the restaurant and continues to push for its public release. The station reports that Fort Wayne Police have denied requests for the complete, unedited video.
WPTA confirmed Tuesday that the restaurant has reopened for business after being closed in the weeks following the incident. A spokesperson for Tim Hortons previously told the station that the franchise owner intended to reopen the location but had not provided a timetable.
The company previously issued a statement expressing condolences to Grayson’s family and said the franchisee was cooperating fully with the police investigation, according to WPTA.
Police have released an edited surveillance video and a narrative of the incident. According to information released by Fort Wayne Police and reported by WPTA, Grayson entered the restaurant to complain about a drive-thru order and became involved in a confrontation with employees.
Police said a 20-year-old shift leader intervened after Grayson allegedly berated a teenage employee. Investigators said the shift leader attempted to prevent Grayson from approaching the teenager, and a physical altercation followed.
According to the police account cited by WPTA, Grayson shoved and struck the employee, and the employee responded by attempting to strike Grayson. Police said Grayson scratched the worker’s face, knocked off her glasses and pulled out some of her hair during the encounter.
WPTA reports that roughly 10 minutes later, Grayson lay down on the restaurant floor. Police said the shift leader and another employee checked on her and provided water before officers arrived.
An officer responding to a reported battery found Grayson unresponsive, according to police. She was transported to a hospital, where she was later pronounced dead.
According to WPTA, police received the initial 911 call at 8:13 a.m. Officers were dispatched two minutes later, and the first officer arrived at 8:26 a.m. Authorities said nearby officers were handling other calls, requiring officers from another district to respond.
The station reports that Three Rivers Ambulance Authority officials said medics were dispatched at 8:15 a.m. and staged nearby until police secured the scene. Grayson was transported to a hospital in critical condition.
The Allen County Coroner’s Office has not yet determined Grayson’s official cause and manner of death. WPTA reports that preliminary findings indicated there were “no significant contributory injuries.”
According to WPTA, Grayson’s family has retained civil rights attorney Ben Crump and attorney Sue-Ann Robinson as they continue to seek answers about the circumstances surrounding her death.
The investigation remains ongoing. No charging decisions have been announced.
