According to authorities on Tuesday, a 42-year-old man who was murdered while riding a roller coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia was flung from his seat, hit several passengers, and then landed beneath the attraction.
His fall from the coaster on Monday horrified park visitors in the Atlanta region, and Six Flags temporarily closed nine comparable roller coasters throughout the country.
How he got out of his seat has not been disclosed by park officials or investigators.
Quick Fact
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| What Happened | A man died after being ejected from the Goliath roller coaster. |
| Location | Six Flags Over Georgia, Austell, near Atlanta, Georgia, USA. |
| Date | October 12, 2026. |
| Victim | Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem, 42, of Atlanta. |
| Roller Coaster | Goliath, manufactured by Bolliger & Mabillard. |
| Investigation | Cobb County Police and Georgia state safety officials are investigating. |
| Ride Closures | Nine similar roller coasters across six parks were temporarily closed as a precaution. |
| Current Status | The cause of the incident has not been officially confirmed. |
According to authorities on Tuesday, a 42-year-old man who was murdered while riding a roller coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia was flung from his seat, hit several passengers, and then landed beneath the attraction.
His fall from the coaster on Monday horrified park visitors in the Atlanta region, and Six Flags temporarily closed nine comparable roller coasters throughout the country.
How he got out of his seat has not been disclosed by park officials or investigators.
Witnesses describe seeing a man fly out of the roller coaster
According to Cobb County police, the deceased was Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem, 42. Officials have not disclosed any other details on the people who were hurt when the guy hit them.
According to an online CV, Kariem was the technology instructor at a public charter school in Atlanta before taking on the role of information technology manager.
Logan Conner claimed to have seen the man get up from his seat while he and his fiancée were on Goliath.
He told, “The man began levitating in the air sideways.” “We looked him in the eye.”
Six Flags closes roller coasters elsewhere
The park in Mableton, which is located northwest of Atlanta, was already set to close on Tuesday. On Tuesday, one of Goliath’s other trains was seen on the first hill of the ride, where it appeared to have halted following the man’s fall from another train.
Nine identical roller coasters at six of its entertainment parks in the United States and Canada were temporarily closed, according to Six Flags Entertainment Corp. Tuesday and Wednesday were previously set aside for those parks’ customary midweek closures.
Goliath, a second coaster at Six Flags Magic Mountain in Southern California, and Raging were among the rides that were shut down.
Officials Investigate Fatal Goliath Coaster Accident
Questions about why those particular rides were closed and what will be done before they reopened were not immediately answered by Six Flags on Tuesday.
Ride inspections are managed by Georgia’s Office of Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner, which is “conducting an in-depth and comprehensive review,” according to spokeswoman Garrison Bennett.
The Swiss manufacturer of the coaster and several others throughout the globe, Bolliger & Mabillard, stated that it is “actively investigating the incident and will not comment further until we have a better understanding of what happened.”
The firm released a statement saying, “We are deeply saddened by this tragic accident.” “with the family.”
Other recent roller coaster deaths and safety claims
According to the Doan Law Firm, which keeps track of amusement park mishaps and represents victims, the fatality is at least the eighth at the Georgia park since 1989, including two who were hit by roller coasters while in prohibited zones and two who perished in car crashes.
Less than two weeks have passed since Six Flags Magic Mountain announced that its X2 roller coaster would be retired due to brain injury claims. One wrongful-death case was resolved by the California park with the family of a 22-year-old man who passed away in 2022 after riding the coaster.
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