Reality TV Star Throws His Support Behind Mayor's Viral Prayer Plea: 'That's What America Is About

A reality TV star known for tracking and capturing criminals is lending his support to a West Virginia mayor's efforts to inspire prayer among local faith leaders and residents.

A video of Mayor Steve Williams urging believers to pray for the city of Huntington has gone viral over the past few weeks, with people in the community and across the nation supporting the politician's plea.

In addition to media attention, Williams also received a phone call this week from former "Dog the Bounty Hunter" reality TV star Duane Chapman, who expressed his support for the initiative, the Christian Post reported.

Image via Twitter @DougBountyHunter

"A member of my staff came in and said, 'You won't believe who's on the phone.' I said 'who?', they said, 'the Dog ... the Bounty Hunter,'" Williams told WSAZ-TV, noting that Chapman and his wife, Beth, called to express their support.

And Chapman even spoke to local media about his feelings on the prayer campaign.

"I thought that was great of somebody in politics to be able to ask for divine intervention, you know what I mean," Chapman told WSAZ-TV after the call. "I think that's what America is about is freedom of religion in any place."

In his now-viral video, Williams told residents and local faith leaders that drug addiction is plaguing Huntington, noting that he believes prayer could help combat it.

"I've come to understand and experience how powerful prayer can be, personally in my life and certainly what I've observed within my administration and how we're going about doing business," he said.

Williams is encouraging churches to all come together and to pray on September 7 at 11:05 a.m.

He asked residents to consider three specific elements in their invocations: police offers' personal protection as they battle the issue, for healing and recovery for those afflicted and for drug dealers to be delivered from their criminal activities, Charisma News reported.

Watch the video below: