Sunrise Beach man charged with attempted assault after allegedly shooting gun at anglers

CAMDEN COUNTY, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Sunrise Beach man was charged after he allegedly fired a gun at two men who were fishing in a boat.

Levi James Coats, 24, was charged with two counts of first-degree attempted assault, one count of unlawful use of a weapon and armed criminal action. He is being held at the Camden County Jail on a $100,000 bond. A court date has not been scheduled.

According to the probable cause statement, a man called Camden County Dispatch and claimed that someone was threatening to shoot him while he was in a boat. He then claimed a shot was fired while on hold with dispatchers.

Coats was allegedly found by deputies camping outside of a residence with a gun, the statement says. Coats allegedly told deputies that he fired a round into the water to “scare away raccoons,” but claimed he couldn’t see them, court documents claim.

Both victims told deputies they heard a man on land shouting threats at them, the statement says. One of the men called 911 while trying to figure out the address and heard a gunshot after he called, the statement says.

The other man said they were fishing when he heard Coats threaten to shoot them if they got closer, the probable cause statement says. Coats allegedly told jail staff that he had been drinking.