Flash Shelton has become the real hero of the household thanks to his ability to free the estate from the stranglehold of squatters, but despite his strong physical pedigree, the big man tells M&F that his main goal is to reduce conflict, and he has some strange methods for doing so.
Who is Flash Shelton and how did he become a “squatter hunter”?
With a birth name like Flash, a leader A&E’s popular reality docuseries Squatters He was destined to be a superhero, but his true calling came when the renovation and construction expert had his own traumatic experience with squatters. The ordeal began in 2019 when Flash’s father passed away and his mother lived with him until the house was ready for sale. It is surprising that a group of more than half a dozen residents settled in its place.
When Flash reported this to the police, he became one of many citizens who found themselves in legal limbo. So, the respected son studied law and took his work into his own hands. Flash left the house and waited for the group to leave before entering with a legal lease signed by his mother. He then retook the property and threatened prosecution if the group didn’t pack up and leave. Fortunately, they did just that, and this origin story became the beginning of a career that gives life to those disadvantaged by squatters.
“There was a problem, and it’s a global problem,” says Flash. “I felt I had to work to change the laws. I was getting a lot of attention and I wanted to channel it into something good.”
Flash Shelton’s background in boxing, security and de-escalation
Of course, fighting villains isn’t without risk, but Flash can certainly hold his own. “I started as a soldier when I was 21,” he says. “Then I won the boxing match and I always say that I am the original Roadhouse because I did it. I traveled, cleaned bars and trained competitors. ” Flash skill also to Wing Chun Kung Fu; a southern Chinese martial art designed for close range defense.
Despite these physical abilities, Flash says that the last thing he wants to do with a squatter is to fight, and he has a surprising technique to avoid violence, a certificate in de-escalation techniques and practices meditation to calm the situation when stepping into the unknown. “Squatters have this legal identity,” Flash explains. “I meditate a little earlier to lower my heart rate and I don’t get into adrenaline already. Because if my physical body is already tense during our first confrontation, I’m expecting a very difficult time.”
When the Flash becomes physical, he uses his powers to protect the safety of himself and his team members, such as his son Michael, or his colleague Cameron… and even a squatter. Instead of being aggressive, Flash uses his power to slow things down. “In one episode, I actually stopped a gentleman so Cam could take the polearm he was holding,” Flash recalls.
How Flash Shelton took back houses from squatters
In another section squatters, Flash uses psychological techniques to exclude uninvited visitors. Fearful of snakes, the hunter placed reptiles around the property to make the environment too harsh for unwanted invaders. Flash explains that being a scary roommate is a trick that often gets the intruder out.
Of course, Flash didn’t choose to be a squatter hunter, but loopholes in the law and an underpowered police force created the need for this real-life superhero, who has sage advice for those who want to avoid the horrors of their squatters.
“If I had a camera in my mom’s house in the beginning, I wouldn’t be a squatter hunter today,” he says. “Cameras prove who got in, when they got in and how they got in. “It could be the difference between them getting a tenant’s rights or getting arrested for trespassing or breaking and entering.”
Squatters Airs Tuesdays at 10pm and 10:30pm ET/PT on A&E. Episodes are available Next Day On Demand and streamed on A&E.
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