Gerry Kavanaugh, the acting chancellor of the University of
Massachusetts in Dartmouth, said in a statement that the school
would turn down the request from CBS Films because a movie shoot
would be "too disruptive to our campus community."
Dzhokhar Tsarnaev was a sophomore at the school when he and his
older brother, Tamerlan, carried out the April 2013 bombing, which
killed three and injured hundreds.
The movie, called "Patriots Day," stars Mark Wahlberg and is
scheduled for release in December.
Kavanaugh said the administration had discussed the producers'
request with students, faculty, staff and other stakeholders before
deciding to decline it.
Dzhokhar Tsarnaev was convicted at trial and sentenced to death.
Tamerlan Tsarnaev died in a shootout with police in Watertown,
Massachusetts.
Last month, Watertown officials said they had rejected a request
from the filmmakers to recreate the shootout in the neighborhood
where it occurred because it was not in the town's best interest.
A spokeswoman for the production team said it had explored all of
the locations where the events occurred for the sake of authenticity
but that respecting those affected by the bombing is the movie's top
priority. The filmmakers have also scouted alternate sites.
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Two of Dzhokhar Tsarnaev's friends at UMass Dartmouth were sentenced
to prison for removing a backpack containing empty fireworks shells
from his dormitory room while a massive manhunt was underway three
days after the attack. A third college friend was sentenced for
lying to investigators about the incident.
(Reporting by Joseph Ax; Editing by Larry King and Sandra Maler)
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