Man who led life of crime, now thanks Texas City officer who arrested him

TEXAS CITY, TX (KTRK) -- On Saturday, Doc Amey, a six time convicted felon, saw the last officer to put him in prison.

He approached without warning, said "thank you" and asked Texas City Police Officer Salvador Chapa to pray with him.

"God just been giving me the urgency to pray for police officers, the same police officers that arrested me. I just got an urgency to pray for them now," said Amey.

Chapa and Amey prayed right there in the middle of a community cook-off in Texas City. Only one other person noticed. Eyewitness Kevin Woods took a picture of it. That picture was posted to the Texas City Police Facebook page and has now been viewed over 1.2 million times.

Amey said he realized he needed to change his life while serving a five-year prison sentence on a gun charge. "One day, a cold December morning, I just looked up: I said God, if you real, like everybody say you real, you'll get me out of this," said Amey. He was paroled after serving only a year and a half.

Since, he has become involved in "The Fellowship" church in Texas City. He attended the fellowship bible college and earned an associate's degree in biblical studies.

Officer Chapa says he is humbled by the show of support, especially at a time when so many are so critical of law enforcement. "Touched my heart. It touched my heart. The reason it did, it sounds like I've touched his heart and made a difference in his life," said Officer Chapa.

Amey says he has been transformed. That he plans never to again be dealing in drugs and guns. "You gotta be the change you want to see," Amey said.

That change has helped spark a friendship between ex-con and officer, a friendship forged by good overcoming evil.