Police say a 19-year-old man was shot Thursday evening in Deer Park.

The shooting happened on Wilson Avenue a little before 10 p.m.

Police say he was a passenger inside a Chevrolet Malibu when he was shot on the intersection of Bayshore Road and Commack Road.

The victim suffered serious injuries.

The incident is just one in a string of crimes in Suffolk involving guns and pellet guns.

A 12-year-old girl was recently struck in the eye by a pellet gun down the road at Tanger Outlets in Deer Park.

On the same day, a person was shot at from a car in North Babylon by a pellet gun.

Suffolk Police Commissioner Rodney Harrison says there has been a 200% increase in shootings this year.

"I have to emphasis the importance of precision policing, as well as precision patrolling, putting the right officers in the right places," Harrison says.

North Babylon resident Dave Wegenaar says he thinks the uptick in crime is a reaction to the many issues going on around the world.

"Dealing with the COVID situation, and of course everyone is tremendously upset about the situation in the Ukraine, and of course gas prices going through roof, which means everything is going to be more expensive," Wegenaar says. "I just hope the world gets its head screwed on straight soon."

An investigation into the shooting is underway.

Anyone with information is asked to call police.