Via TheBlaze, they didn’t literally chase them off — that would have made this the feelgood story of the year, not the day — but they ramped up the pressure, as did the media. Hard to believe the squatters would have left peacefully, without trashing the house first, if they hadn’t had cameras pointed at them from the sidewalk outside.

Here’s an enjoyable passage from WFLA utilizing many fine euphemisms for people preparing to beat this guy’s ass:

Lauren Price, of Veterans Warriors, says Ortiz picked the wrong house to squat at. Price has heard from veterans around the world who want to help…

Price and another veterans group found an attorney to handle the eviction process for free. They plan on keeping a close watch on the property to make sure the home is not vandalized…

If Ortiz and his girlfriend don’t move, supporters of Sharkey in Tampa Bay are coming together, planning a motorcycle ride called “Sharkey’s Ride” on Sunday to head to the home and peacefully make the squatters uncomfortable…

“I say we get about 25 people together one Sunday afternoon and let’s go talk to the squatters and see if we can convince them to leave. I’m not joking,” wrote David Edwards [on WFLA’s Facebook page].

I too would have been willing to “lend a hand” in “talking sense” to this guy. The only unhappy note to this otherwise happy ending (besides the squatters inexplicably abandoning their dogs in the house) is that now we’re probably in for an insufferable think piece online somewhere about how squatting is an awesome way to reduce income inequality or whatever. My money’s on Vox, but never count out Slate or Salon.