Area Shooting Tied to THC Vape Deal Under Investigation

By Staff Writer

MAGNOLIA, TEXAS – The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a shooting in Magnolia that stemmed from an attempted sale of THC vape cartridges and resulted in one person being hospitalized and multiple homes struck by gunfire.

Deputies with the West Patrol Command were dispatched on May 16, 2026, after a woman suffering from a gunshot wound arrived at a hospital in The Woodlands. Information from the victim and 911 callers led deputies to the 12000 block of Noble Wood Drive, near the intersection of Noble Wood Drive and Lazy Oak Creek Drive, where the disturbance had occurred.

Responding deputies from the Sheriff’s Office and the Precinct 5 Constable’s Office located the shooting scene and detained several individuals as the investigation.

Detectives with the Major Crimes Unit, supported by Crime Scene Investigators, determined that the incident began as an attempted sale of THC vape cartridges. The transaction escalated into an exchange of gunfire between involved parties.

During the shootout, numerous homes in the neighborhood were struck, though no residents were injured. The only reported injury was the initial victim involved in the altercation. She was treated at a local hospital.

Investigators emphasized that the shooting was a targeted incident involving specific individuals, not a random attack on the community.

Through coordinated efforts between patrol deputies and detectives, two suspects were identified and arrested the same night:

• Billy Chaplin, 19, of Magnolia — charged with Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon and Deadly Conduct. He is currently held in the Montgomery County Jail.
• A juvenile suspect — arrested and transported to the Montgomery County Juvenile Detention Facility.

The Sheriff’s Office reports that the investigation remains active as detectives continue gathering evidence and conducting interviews. All parties are innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.

Anyone with additional information is asked to contact the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office at 936‑760‑5876 and reference case number 26A167483.