āKC Supermanā says banned for life from Westport, faces two new charges
KANSAS CITY, Mo. ā There is a giant mural of āKC Supermanā in Westport. But the iconic local figure whose real name is Michael Wheeler says heās 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 and the next day.
The Westport Business League says they donāt restrict religious expression but Wheeler says his troubles started when he traded his cape for a cross.
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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.
āWhen 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.
āAll my life I wanted to be a light to bring unity to the people and just bring love. Thatās what Iām all about,ā Wheeler said.
Two weeks ago he was handcuffed in a Kansas City Municipal courtroom and taken to jail.
āThey shackled me to the iron bench. I said you all think Iām Superman for real? Then they took me out to Vernon County 70 miles away.ā
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He was cited for trespassing at a Walmart in 2020 in Westport in 2022 and four additional times in 2023. Wheeler, who says heās spread the gospel for decades in Westport, believes its because he was carrying a cross.
āThatās when they said I was banned for life,ā Wheeler said.
Wheelerās four day jail sentence was reduced to two. But now heās 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 itās not immediately clear if the incident occurred that day.
āIām saying to the judges of Kansas City please use some wisdom. Youāve got to embrace me and thank God that youāve got somebody like me,ā Wheeler said.
KCPD pointed us to the ticket which says the trespassing summons was issued at the authorization of Westportās CID and cites the districtās private streets and sidewalks. A Westport Business League spokesperson says the privatization is only during certain late night weekend hours and says they donāt have trespass powers for public property.
With all the trouble visiting Westport seems to causing the literal larger than life Westport figure FOX4 asked Wheeler why he keeps coming back?
āBecause they are violating my rights. Even if it causes me to go to jail I guess Iāve got to be a role support, stand up,ā Wheeler said.
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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.
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