‘KC Superman’ says he’s banned for life from Westport, faces two new charges

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — There is a giant mural of “KC Superman” in Westport. But the iconic local figure, whose real name is Michael Wheeler, says he’s been banned for life from the shopping, business and entertainment district.

The jogger and evangelist served two days of a four-day jail sentence that was reduced earlier this month. Five charges stemmed from trespassing incidents in the Westport CID where Wheeler was cited in 2022 and 2023.

But now Wheeler, 73, is facing two new charges filed September 12 as he was preparing to be released from incarceration the next day.

The Westport Business League says it doesn’t restrict religious expression, but Wheeler says his troubles started when he traded his cape for a cross.

Wheeler described about how he went from just another jogger around Kansas City to a caped crusader at a ceremony when the Westport mural of him was unveiled in 2017.

“When I saw all the shooting and riots happening I thought, ‘this is a job for Superman,'” he said.

Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas remarked every Kansas Citian and suburbanite had a story about seeing Wheeler in a VICE Local Legends episode about Wheeler released in 2021.

Whether he was spotted running outside Super Bowls and through the rain in Kansas City, he spread the same message.

“All my life I wanted to be a light to bring unity to the people and just bring love. That’s what I’m all about,” Wheeler said.

Two weeks ago he was handcuffed in a Kansas City municipal courtroom and taken to jail.

“They shackled me to the iron bench. I said, ‘you all think I’m Superman for real?’ Then they took me out to Vernon County 70 miles away,” he recalled.

He was cited for trespassing at a Walmart in 2020, in Westport in 2022, and four additional times in 2023. Wheeler, who says he’s spread the gospel for decades in Westport, believes it’s because he was carrying a cross.

“That’s when they said I was banned for life,” Wheeler said.

Wheeler’s four-day jail sentence was reduced to two. But now he’s facing two new trespassing charges in Westport from the same KCPD officer who issued all but one of the previous Westport citations.

One occurred Sunday, September 8, two days before he went to court, when Wheeler was spotted on video in Westport. The other was issued the Friday morning after he got out of jail, though it’s not immediately clear if the incident occurred that day.

“I’m saying to the judges of Kansas City please use some wisdom. You’ve got to embrace me and thank God that you’ve got somebody like me,” Wheeler said.

KCPD pointed us to the ticket which says the trespassing summons was issued at the authorization of Westport’s CID and cites the district’s private streets and sidewalks. A Westport Business League spokesperson says the privatization is only during certain late night weekend hours, and says they don’t have trespass powers for public property.

With all the trouble visiting Westport seems to be causing the literal larger than life Westport figure, FOX4 asked Wheeler why he keeps coming back?

“Because they are violating my rights. Even if it causes me to go to jail I guess I’ve got to be a role support, stand up,” Wheeler said.

Wheeler is due in court October 17 and then November 6th on the two new charges.

So far no one associated with Westport, Kansas City police, Kansas City or municipal court has confirmed whether Wheeler has indeed been banned for life from Westport.

The business district gave FOX4 this statement on Wednesday:

“As a policy we can’t speak to individual cases, but the rare instances anyone is banned it would be the result of unlawful acts and/or threats.”

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