gunshot

A gunshot is a loud noise made by a gun firing.

When someone says "there was a gunshot", they usually mean that a shot was fired from a gun. It's not always because there was a crime or an emergency, but more often it means someone heard or saw a sudden and very loud sound coming from somewhere in the area. This can happen for many reasons - maybe a hunter accidentally shot into the air, or someone was practicing with their gun in a safe place. Sometimes, people get worried if they hear a gunshot, especially if they're not sure what's going on, but usually it's just a loud noise that makes everyone jump.