San Francisco turns into Gotham City for Batkid

Batkid to the rescue!

Just one day into his crime-fighting career, young Miles Scott, 5, already had a fan club Friday as San Franciscans cheered on the cancer patient who always wanted to be a superhero.

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The kindergartener from Tulelake, Calif. has plenty of experience battling villains — he’s been fighting leukemia since he was 18 months old. He wrapped up his treatment in June and is in remission now.

While he was struggling with the illness, Miles became fascinated with superheroes. They were crimefighters and saviors. And they always won in the end.

“Miles has always been a fighter,” his dad Nick Scott said. “He fought through cancer and he beat that. I think it goes hand in hand that he’s a fan of Batman and superheroes, as well.”

There’s no telling if Miles’ cancer will return. But the child hasn’t lost his superhero spirit.

When San Francisco’s Make-A-Wish Foundation asked Miles what he wanted more than anything in the world, the little guy said, “I wish to be Batkid.”

His wish came true today as San Francisco turned into Gotham City just for Miles.

An estimated 12,000 Gotham City residents had Batkid’s back as he rushed to save their city. Police closed down major roads and his fans crowded the streets.

Thanks to social media, crowds rooted for Batkid at every crime scene. The President and First Lady tweeted out their support from the White House. Obama later sent out a congratulatory Vine.

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The day began with a breaking news story. San Francisco’s Police Chief Greg Suhr appeared on TV asking if anyone in town knows the whereabouts of Batkid. Suhr desperately needed Batkid’s help to save the city from the evil supervillains Riddler and Penguin.

Miles, disguised as Batkid from head to toe, joined an adult-sized Batman and his baby brother as Robin as they hopped into two waiting Lamborghinis, aka Batmobiles.

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At least 500 people looked on as Batkid rescued a damsel-in-distress from the HydeStreet cable-car tracks in Nob Hill. She was dressed in thigh-high black boots and her hands were bound behind her back.

Batkid had to disable a plastic replica bomb to free the woman. It was a tricky job, but he managed to do it just before a cable car came crashing into the scene. The crowd went wild.

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Next, he stopped the Riddler from robbing a downtown vault. San Francisco police hauled the crook off in handcuffs and threw him into a paddy wagon.

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Even superheroes can’t fight crime on an empty stomach, so Batkid refueled with his parents at San Francisco’s Burger Bar. His meal of choice was a hamburger and fries.

After lunch, San Francisco’s Police Chief asked Batkid to look outside the window. Hundreds of volunteer Gotham City residents were jumping up and down, pleading for Batkid’s help.

Trouble was brewing. And this time, it was that slimey Penguin.

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The ruthless criminal kidnapped San Francisco Giants’ mascot Lou Seal. Lou’s hands were tied together as Penguin drove off toward AT&T Park, Batkid close on their heels.

At the park, the superhero found Lou tied up in a cage. He untied Lou’s hands while the adult Batman chased down Penguin. The villain begged for mercy, but another San Francisco cop hauled him away to face justice. The Chief of Police appeared on the Jumbotron to give Batkid a big “thank you” from the city.

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Mayor Ed Lee honored Batkid at City Hall at day’s end. Then the exhausted hero resumed his life as mild-mannered Miles Scott.

The San Francisco Chronicle, KGO-TV and thousands of volunteers participated in the event.

The Chronicle distributed special-edition newspapers with the headline, “Batkid Saves City,” in Union Square.

The Justice Department also got in on the action, releasing a bristling indictment of the Riddler and Penguin. San Francisco’s chief federal prosecutor Attorney Melinda Haag and FBI agent David Johnson accused the villains of “performing all kinds of mayhem in Gotham, San Francisco, and parts unknown for an indefinite period of time.” Upon conviction, the fiends will be thrown in the slammer for 24 years. The criminals are invited to appeal, but the Justice Department doesn’t think it will do them much good.

“Because even if you get out of jail someday, you will never succeed in your criminal actions as long as Miles, aka ‘Batman,’ aka ‘Batkid’ is looking out for the citizens of Gotham,” the indictment reads.

Miles’ family followed him while he scrambled around town. Mom Natalie Scott said that the day was a dream come true for her, as well. It signaled the end of his treatment, of over three years of filling her son’s body with drugs.

“He likes to be a superhero,” she told NBC. “He is one. He beat an awful disease.”

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RIDDLER & PENGUIN Indictment (PDF)

RIDDLER & PENGUIN Indictment (Text)

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