A Nashville magistrate signed an order of protection against Fisk University President Dr. Kevin Rome, Sr. after a man claimed he met Rome via the gay dating app Grindr and testified Rome had drugged him, threatened to kill him and destroyed his apartment. Rome has been placed on leave from the university.
On August 7th, Magistrate Chris Hofstetter signed a Petition for Orders of Protection against Fisk University President Doctor Kevin Rome Senior. The petitioner claimed to be President Rome’s former intimate partner and that he was afraid for his safety. The order states that the pair spent the night together in May after hooking up via the gay dating app Grindr.
He also claimed Dr. Rome, who he knew as “Rob” showed up on his doorstep a week later on May 14th, somehow skirting security. The statement claims that Rome drugged him with Gamma-hydroxybutyrate, better known as GHB or the date-rape drug, before inviting people into his home for a night of drugs and sex. The alleged victim confronted Rome after noticing a closet belonging to his landlord had been broken into and some of his own possessions came up missing.
A man he recognized from that very night threatened him on August 6th with a message from “Rob”. The message warned the petitioner to “stay away from his people” and that he would be killed if he “continued to date black men”.
(Source: Facebook)
He also testified that the messenger confessed to vandalizing his apartment between June 14th and 15th. The vandalization included burglary, “homophobic things” written on the walls and sewage damage from the plumbing being sabotaged.
A statement from Fisk University reads, in part:
Monday, Aug. 10, Fisk University learned that allegations unrelated to our school had been made against University President Kevin Rome, PhD. As this is a personal matter not connected to the school, we cannot comment on the specifics. Dr. Rome has been placed on leave until the matter is resolved and Provost Vann Newkirk, PhD, will assume his duties effective immediately.
Fisk President Dr. Kevin D. Rome, Sr. OOP 
Fisk President Dr. Kevin D. Rome, Sr. OOP relationship to petitioner
The alleged victim has been living in a hotel since his home was broken into and believes that President Kevin Rome’s motivation was jealously from him dating Rome’s ex. The order of protection claims the man is “terrified to leave” his home due to “the threat on my (his) life”. He swore to the fact that he believes Dr. Rome will kill him.
Dr. Kevin D. Rome, Sr. became 16th President of Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee on July 1st, 2017. He is married to Stefanie Rome and they have two children. Dr. Rome stated “I’m just as shocked as you, I have no idea who this person is and I can’t even respond to it because I don’t even know who they are” via telephone on August 10th.
The petitioner has previously accused a man of sexually assaulting him on three separate occasions at a Brentwood YMCA facility by groping his genitals in the men’s locker room. These incidents occurred between 2015 and 2016. The settlement details of that case were not made public, however, the YMCA removed the accused person from their membership.
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