Shootouts, also known as gunfights, are violent exchanges of gunfire between two or more parties. Other synonyms for this term include gunfire, shoot-ups, shootouts, and shoot-em-ups. Gun battles, firefights, skirmishes, and clashes can also be used interchangeably with shootouts. Shootouts often result in tragic outcomes, such as death and serious injuries, which is why they are condemned and discouraged by authorities worldwide. Police and military personnel often use firearms in shootouts in their line of duty. However, law enforcement agencies have strict protocol to avoid such situations and diffuse them without violence wherever possible.