A mercy shot is a final shot delivered in an execution. It follows after at least one original shot intended to mortally wound or kill the victim.Ordinary Men, Christopher R. Browning It is considered "merciful" in the sense that it ends the physical suffering of the person being executed. The use of the mercy shot is not universal; due to limited compassion for the victims or due to limited available

ammunition Ammunition (informally ammo) is the material fired, scattered, dropped, or detonated from any weapon or weapon system. Ammunition is both expendable weapons (e.g., bombs, missiles, grenades, land mines) and the component parts of other weap ...

, some execution victims are left to die of their wounds or are simply buried alive, without a mercy shot.

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