Overview
- The incident happened shortly before 4 p.m. Monday when witnesses say a rider was ejected from the Goliath coaster, struck other passengers as he fell, and was found unresponsive beneath the attraction.
- Cobb County police identified the victim as 42-year-old Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem of Atlanta and said four other people were injured in the event.
- Detectives from the Cobb County Police Major Crimes Unit and the Georgia Office of the Commissioner of Insurance and Safety Fire have opened active investigations and the coaster manufacturer Bolliger & Mabillard is conducting its own review.
- Six Flags has said it is cooperating with authorities, is providing support to guests and staff, has kept Goliath closed, and temporarily suspended nine similar hypercoasters at six parks across North America 'out of an abundance of caution.'
- The fall comes as the amusement-park industry faces heightened scrutiny after recent lawsuits and the retirement of the X2 coaster, a development that could prompt broader regulatory checks, manufacturer inspections, and changes to operations and rider safety oversight.