Overview
- The X2 at Six Flags Magic Mountain has been closed since July 12 after two riders in early July — one on July 5 — required emergency brain surgery; one remains in a coma and the other is recovering.
- A CNN review of medical records, depositions, and court filings found more than a dozen serious injuries and hospitalizations tied to X2 since 2002 and internal park records show about 70 head or neck complaints from 2019 to 2022.
- Three treating neurosurgeons wrote that the July patients’ brain hemorrhages were caused by a traumatic rapid acceleration‑deceleration event on the ride, and experts point to X2’s rotating seats and abrupt 'raven turn' drops as plausible mechanisms.
- The family of Christopher Hawley, who died after riding X2 in 2022, reached an undisclosed settlement with Six Flags and S&S Worldwide days before a scheduled September trial, and Cal/OSHA’s Amusement Ride unit currently has an active inspection of the July incidents.
- The ride’s future is uncertain because state findings, possible citations, or court rulings could force design changes or permanent retirement, and the recent cases highlight lasting human harm for victims and raise questions about operator warnings, testing, and industry oversight.