October 13, 2026
Reporter: Joseph Wilson
A 42-year-old Atlanta man died after he was ejected from the Goliath roller coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia, with witnesses describing a terrifying sequence in which the rider appeared to strike the coaster before falling beneath the attraction.
The incident happened shortly before 4 p.m. Monday, October 12, at the amusement park in Austell, Georgia. Cobb County police identified the victim as Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem. Investigators said preliminary information from witnesses and employees indicates that Kariem was ejected from the ride and struck other patrons before falling beneath the attraction.
Police officers responding to the scene found Kariem unresponsive and not breathing. His next of kin has been notified, and the Cobb County Police Department's Major Crimes Unit is continuing to investigate exactly what led to the fatal incident.
Witnesses describe a horrifying scene
People riding the Goliath described moments of panic as the incident unfolded. One witness told local television station WXIA that Kariem appeared in a souvenir photograph taken during the ride. The witness said the man fell and struck the coaster car multiple times before ultimately falling away from the ride.
Another eyewitness described seeing the rider come out of his seat and move sideways through the air before striking the coaster car. The witness said passengers attempted to reach toward him but were unable to prevent the fall.
Other people at the park reported seeing a person suddenly fly from the ride, initially struggling to understand what they had witnessed.
The incident quickly transformed what had been an ordinary afternoon at the theme park into a scene of screaming, confusion and emergency response.
Riders left stranded on the coaster
The tragedy also left other passengers temporarily stranded on the Goliath. According to witnesses, the ride stopped after the incident, leaving riders high above the ground while emergency crews responded. One passenger told WXIA that the group remained on the attraction for approximately an hour and received little information while people below were being evacuated.
Video from the scene showed passengers being evacuated from the coaster and making their way down stairs built into the ride structure.
Police said several other people were reportedly injured, although authorities had not immediately released a complete account of those injuries.
Goliath is one of the park's largest attractions
The Goliath is a major attraction at Six Flags Over Georgia. The hypercoaster rises approximately 200 feet and can reach speeds of about 70 mph. It opened in 2006 and has been one of the park's signature rides.
The attraction was temporarily shut down following Monday's incident while authorities investigated.
Six Flags said it was deeply saddened by what happened and expressed condolences to Kariem's family, friends and loved ones.
"The park team and local authorities responded immediately," the company said, adding that it was cooperating fully with the investigation.
Similar rides temporarily closed
The company also temporarily closed similar attractions at several of its other parks as a precaution. The precautionary closures included rides at Six Flags Great America, Six Flags Magic Mountain, Six Flags Great Adventure, Canada's Wonderland, Carowinds and Kings Island. Among the affected attractions were Raging Bull, another Goliath, Nitro, Leviathan, Behemoth, Fury 325, Thunder Striker, Orion and Diamondback.
Six Flags said the closures were undertaken "out of an abundance of caution" while the company and authorities assess the situation.
The temporary shutdowns have heightened questions about whether the incident resulted from a mechanical problem, a restraint issue, rider behavior or another factor. Authorities have not yet determined the cause.
The Cobb County Police Department's Major Crimes Unit is leading the investigation. Officials are examining witness accounts and other evidence to determine how Kariem was ejected from the ride.
The Office of the Commissioner of Insurance and Safety Fire and the coaster's manufacturer, Bolliger & Mabillard, are also involved in examining the incident, according to reports.
At this stage, investigators have not publicly concluded that a mechanical failure caused the death. That distinction is important because preliminary witness descriptions alone cannot establish why the rider left the coaster.
Six Flags faces wider safety scrutiny
The fatal incident comes at a sensitive time for Six Flags, which has separately faced legal scrutiny over its X2 roller coaster at Six Flags Magic Mountain in California.
The X2 attraction was permanently closed after lawsuits alleged that riders suffered serious brain injuries. Six Flags has said the ride had consistently passed safety tests but that the company decided to close it because maintaining guest confidence was important. The allegations in those lawsuits have not been adjudicated.
The Georgia incident is separate from those lawsuits, and there is currently no indication that the Goliath accident was connected to the claims involving X2.
Family and community mourn educator
Kariem was also an employee of Atlanta Public Schools. The district expressed condolences following confirmation of his death.
Atlanta Public Schools described him as a valued member of the Wesley International Academy community whose presence had an impact on students, colleagues and others who knew him.
His death has left relatives, colleagues and fellow park visitors mourning while investigators work to establish exactly what happened.
The Cobb County Police Department has urged anyone with information about the incident to contact its Major Crimes Unit.
For now, the investigation remains active. Officials have identified the victim and established that he was ejected from the Goliath, but the circumstances that caused the ejection—and whether a mechanical or other failure played any role—remain under investigation.