NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — A former Vanderbilt University student has been charged with aggravated stalking, and it’s raising safety concerns.
In October, Dominic Lambert — of Plano, Texas — was served a protective order. The former Vandy student, who graduated in 2021, violated it several times, according to police. When he bonded out, he reached out to the victim saying things like, "It was really nice! I still adore you," according to an affidavit. Eventually, he was charged with aggravated stalking.
In December, Vanderbilt put out a safety alert to students saying if Lambert is spotted on campus, to call police. They sent NewsChannel5 a link to resources they have for students.
Allison Cantway — an assistant director of client relations for Metro's Family Safety Center — helps domestic violence and stalking survivors.
"There are so many different tools that these stalkers can harness now to really keep track of their victims, and really harass and intimidate them, and even go so far as to harm them," Cantway said.
If victims want their address to not be public record, they can sign up for the Safe at Home program. In addition, Cantway said there are other options.
"(Make) sure that no one else has access to your phone. Some folks may need to change their phone number if they’re being stalked and harassed. If they can do so safely, they may even need to move to a safe space."
Other tips include: checking your car for tracking devices, turning off all location settings on your phone, and backing into parking spots for an easy escape.
"One of the things that we always recommend that people do is if there are repeated instances of stalking or harassment — make really good note of those," Cantway said.
According to the Davidson County District Attorney's office, they asked a judge to revoke Lambert's bond. He's due in court in January.
"We are very concerned about stalking in the community," Cantway said, "An offender who stalks their victim is twice as likely to murder their victim."
