The emergency unfolded shortly before 4 p.m. Monday at Six Flags Over Georgia. Officers assigned to the park, along with additional Cobb County police officers, responded to the scene. Detectives from the department’s Major Crimes Unit were then brought in to investigate the circumstances surrounding the death.
According to the latest police information, Kariem was ejected from the ride and struck other park patrons before falling beneath the attraction. Authorities have not publicly explained why he became separated from the ride or whether the restraint system played any role.
That distinction is important because the investigation is still in its early stages. Witnesses described seeing a rider leave the coaster, but witness observations alone do not establish the technical cause of the incident. Investigators will need to examine the ride, its restraint system, operating procedures and other evidence before reaching conclusions.
After the incident, the Goliath ride was stopped. Riders who remained aboard the attraction had to be evacuated, with video from the scene showing passengers being escorted down emergency stairs from the coaster’s elevated sections. One group of riders reportedly remained on the ride for an extended period while the emergency response unfolded.
The park was subsequently closed. Six Flags Over Georgia was already operating on a seasonal schedule and had been open Monday for the federal holiday. The park was not scheduled to reopen until Friday.
At this point, authorities have confirmed the death and four additional injuries but have not released the medical conditions of those injured.
Who Was Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem?
Authorities identified the victim Tuesday as Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem, 42, of Atlanta. His family has been notified.
Additional information has since emerged about Kariem’s connection to the Atlanta community. Atlanta Public Schools confirmed that he was a member of the Wesley International Academy community, a public charter school serving students from kindergarten through eighth grade. The district described him as a cherished member of the school community whose presence and impact would be deeply missed.
The identification gives the tragedy a more personal dimension for the Atlanta community as investigators continue their work.
Cobb County officials also expressed condolences following the incident. Cobb County Board of Commissioners Chairwoman Lisa Cupid said the county was working with Six Flags and other agencies as the investigation continued. She emphasized that additional information would be released by law enforcement as it was confirmed.
For now, investigators are concentrating on determining exactly what happened before, during and immediately after the rider was ejected from Goliath.
The case remains active, and authorities have not announced any final conclusions regarding the cause.
That means claims circulating online about a specific mechanical failure or operator error should be treated cautiously until investigators release verified findings.
Georgia State Officials Launch Safety Investigation
The deadly incident has triggered more than a local police investigation.
The Georgia Office of the Commissioner of Insurance and Safety Fire announced Tuesday that its investigative team had opened an in-depth review of the incident. The state agency said it was examining the circumstances surrounding Kariem’s death and whether applicable policies and procedures were followed.
Because the investigation remains open, state officials said they could not provide additional details at this time.
The state investigation is taking place alongside the Cobb County Police Department’s Major Crimes Unit investigation. Together, investigators are expected to examine available evidence surrounding the ride and the incident.
The focus will likely include the coaster’s restraint system, operating procedures, inspection records, employee accounts and other evidence that could help establish why the rider was ejected. However, officials have not yet publicly identified a cause.
Six Flags has said it is cooperating with authorities.
The company expressed condolences to Kariem’s family, friends and loved ones and said the park was also providing support to guests and employees affected by the incident. The company has declined to release additional details while the investigation continues.
The investigation could ultimately determine whether the incident resulted from a technical problem, an operational issue, rider-related circumstances or another factor. At this stage, however, no definitive explanation has been announced.
That uncertainty is one of the key reasons officials are urging the public to wait for verified information.
Six Flags Temporarily Closes Nine Roller Coasters
The Georgia tragedy has also resulted in precautionary closures at other Six Flags parks.
Six Flags confirmed that it temporarily closed nine roller coasters across six parks following the incident. The company said the attractions were taken offline “out of an abundance of caution” while the situation was reviewed.
The affected rides are:
- Raging Bull at Six Flags Great America
- Goliath at Six Flags Magic Mountain
- Nitro at Six Flags Great Adventure
- Leviathan at Canada’s Wonderland
- Behemoth at Canada’s Wonderland
- Fury 325 at Carowinds
- Thunder Striker at Carowinds
- Orion at Kings Island
- Diamondback at Kings Island
The temporary closures do not mean authorities have determined that these attractions are unsafe or that they experienced the same problem as Goliath at Six Flags Over Georgia.
Instead, Six Flags described the move as a precautionary measure. The company said guest and employee safety remains one of its highest priorities.
The closures have attracted attention because several of the affected attractions are major high-speed roller coasters with similar characteristics to Goliath. Still, the rides are located at different parks and are not necessarily identical in design or operation.
Why Goliath Is Such a Major Attraction
Goliath is one of Six Flags Over Georgia’s signature roller coasters.
The steel coaster reaches approximately 200 feet and has a top speed of about 70 mph. The ride lasts roughly three and a half minutes and features large hills and high-speed turns.
The coaster opened in 2006 and has been a major attraction at the Georgia park for years.
Its size and speed also explain why any serious incident involving Goliath immediately becomes a major safety investigation. A ride operating at 70 mph and hundreds of feet above the ground requires multiple layers of safety procedures, including restraints, inspections and operational protocols.
The state investigation will be important in determining whether anything unusual occurred during Monday’s operation.
For now, Goliath remains at the center of the investigation, while authorities work to establish the sequence of events that led to the fatal fall.
The tragedy has left one family mourning, four other people injured and many park visitors facing the shock of witnessing a serious incident at a place normally associated with entertainment and family recreation.
As investigators continue examining the ride and reviewing witness and employee accounts, more information could emerge about what happened and whether any changes are needed before similar attractions return to operation.
For Six Flags Over Georgia, the immediate priority is cooperating with investigators and supporting those affected.
For authorities, the central question remains straightforward but critical: What caused Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem to be ejected from the Goliath roller coaster?
That question has not yet been fully answered.
The Georgia state investigation and Cobb County Police investigation remain ongoing, and officials have said that additional verified information will be released as the investigation develops.
What is confirmed so far: one person, identified as 42-year-old Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem, died; four other people were injured; police say Kariem was ejected from the ride and struck other patrons before falling beneath the attraction; and state and local authorities are investigating. Six Flags has also temporarily closed nine roller coasters at six parks as a precaution.
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