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meaning - Term for a bullet hitting a bystander in a gunfight


What is the term for a bullet hitting a bystander in a gunfight?


When it misses the intended target and hits a bystander.



Answer



Crossfire would describe the entire scene. From the OED:



gunfire from two or more directions passing through the same area, often killing or wounding noncombatants: a photographer was killed in the crossfire.



The bullet itself would be described as a stray bullet. From the OED:



move without a specific purpose or by mistake, esp. so as to get lost or arrive somewhere where one should not be



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