Six Flags Entertainment temporarily suspended 10 roller coasters across seven parks in the United States and Canada after a man died on Monday after being thrown from the Goliath ride at Six Flags Over Georgia, outside of Atlanta.
The victim was identified as Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem, 42 years old and a resident of Atlanta, as confirmed by the Cobb County Police on Tuesday.
According to authorities, Kariem was thrown from his seat, struck other visitors, and fell beneath the structure of the attraction. Four people were injured in the incident, although officials have not provided details about their condition.
Eyewitnesses described disturbing scenes. Logan Conner, who was on the ride with his fiancée, told NBC, "The man started to levitate in the air sideways. We made direct eye contact with him." Britny Landry, who was waiting in line to ride again, told KTVU-TV, "We were just watching and I see someone being thrown out. Maybe someone had a bag or something like that."
The exact cause of the detachment—whether it was a mechanical failure, an issue with the fastening system, or some other circumstance—had not been publicly identified.
Kariem was the technology manager, teacher, and robotics coach at Wesley International Academy, a public charter school within the Atlanta Public Schools district, where he had been working for over 12 years. The district described him as a "beloved" member of the school community.
As an immediate response, Six Flags closed similar attractions at multiple parks. In the United States, the suspensions affect Raging Bull (Six Flags Great America, Illinois), Goliath (Six Flags Magic Mountain, California), Nitro (Six Flags Great Adventure, New Jersey), Fury 325 and Thunder Striker (Carowinds, North Carolina), as well as Orion and Diamondback (Kings Island, Ohio). In Canada, the affected rides are Leviathan and Behemoth at Canada's Wonderland, Ontario.
"To exercise utmost caution, we have temporarily closed similar attractions in our parks. The safety of our visitors and employees is our top priority," stated a company spokesperson to the EFE agency.
The company did not set a date for the reopening of the attractions and stated that it is fully cooperating with local authorities.
Goliath, opened in 2006, reaches a maximum speed of 113 km/h and a height of 61 meters. Its ride duration of more than three minutes includes sharp turns and large hills. The Six Flags Over Georgia park, located in Austell, opened its doors in 1967.
The Cobb County Police Department's Major Crimes Unit and the Georgia Office of Insurance and Safety Fire are investigating the case. Garrison Bennett, a spokesperson for that office, confirmed that a "thorough and complete review" is underway.
According to the Doan Law Firm, which documents accidents at amusement parks, this death is at least the seventh recorded at Six Flags Over Georgia since 1989.
The incident occurs at a time of increasing scrutiny over the safety of the chain. Just two weeks prior, Six Flags Magic Mountain announced the permanent closure of its X2 roller coaster following lawsuits from over 100 individuals claiming serious brain injuries, and the park reached a settlement with the family of a 22-year-old who died after riding that attraction in 2022.
Lisa Cupid, chair of the Cobb County Board of Commissioners, expressed her dismay: "I cannot imagine the horror that visitors and employees witnessed today, and my heart goes out to the family who lost a loved one. We are all trying to understand how something so devastating could happen in a place that has provided such happy memories for generations of families."
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