So, I'm resurrecting this thread as it appears it was not my fault for shooting an unscanned ship, but merely a figment of gameplay - now this is the third combat-oriented community goal I've had lo leave early because of this feature.
Shooting a wanted NPC, become wanted for assault, watch in amazement as he blows up and now I become wanted for 6 days. This might be a fluke once, but now it's happened to me three separate times during a CG at a HAZ. Buggrit.