Betty Duren also known as Betty Scott-Smith, was an African-American activist who was shot and killed by California Highway Patrol (CHP) Officers. Duren was one of the founders of the Intercommunal Institute alternative school in Long Beach, California. The school was a success in providing a safe haven for young people off the streets and for providing students with a sense of history, identity, and culture, aspects that in the opinion of many were lacking from mainstream educational institutions. In 1975, Duren and her partner were pulled over by the CHP for a seemingly routine stop that resulted in the shooting and death of Duren. Officers at the scene contended that Duren had pointed a gun at them which justified the shooting and eventually the officers were cleared of wrongdoing. Although the officers were not convicted of murder many still believe that this was a grave miscarriage of justice. Events such as this led her brother B. Kwaku Duren to focus heavily on protesting police abuse.