In the examples you gave, I would interpret that as 'uninvolved bystander', or 'uninvolved civilians', meaning those who are caught up in something not of their own making. A woman walking by a bank and getting shot during a gun battle between police and the robbers would be an innocent, or uninvolved (in the actual robbery) bystander.

From my experience, no one is innocent after the age of 10. Just some are less guilty than others.