Question about Amerikan Soldiers?

i know that soldiers are preventing terrorists in the poor countrys from destructing..but i rid in a magazine there was an inocent reporter in the middle of a battle scene between Amerikans and Iraqians.he was in the car and the car blew up so he had to escape but the Amerikans shot him dead..now my question is,why do these soldiers just shoot at innocent reporters and other innocent people? Will these soldiers get punished for this or can they just get away with this?