Atlanta Father Killed After Being Ejected From Six Flags Over Georgia Roller Coaster; Four Others Injured

The death of 42-year-old Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem aboard the Goliath roller coaster has prompted investigations by Cobb County Police and Georgia safety regulators, along with precautionary closures of similar rides across North America.

By A.T.L. N.E.W.S. Staff | October 13, 2026

GEORGIA NEWS | COBB COUNTY | PUBLIC SAFETY

MABLETON, Ga. — What began as a family outing to Six Flags Over Georgia ended in tragedy Monday afternoon when a 42-year-old Atlanta father was ejected from the Goliath roller coaster, striking other park visitors before falling to the ground beneath the towering attraction. Four additional people were injured in an incident that has prompted investigations by local and state authorities and precautionary shutdowns of similar roller coasters at amusement parks across North America.

Cobb County Police identified the victim as Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem, an Atlanta resident who was visiting the amusement park with his family on October 12. The incident occurred at approximately 3:58 p.m., when officers working at the park responded to an emergency involving a passenger on the Goliath roller coaster. According to investigators, Kariem was ejected from the moving train and subsequently found beneath the attraction, unresponsive and not breathing.

The Cobb County Police Department confirmed that Kariem struck other patrons during the incident, resulting in additional injuries. Authorities have not yet established what caused him to leave the roller coaster, and investigators are examining the circumstances surrounding the tragedy, including the ride’s operating conditions and safety systems.

The accident occurred during special Monday operating hours associated with the Columbus Day and Indigenous Peoples’ Day holiday, when families and visitors had gathered at one of metro Atlanta’s best-known amusement destinations. For witnesses and other park guests, an afternoon of entertainment quickly became a frightening emergency as first responders arrived and park employees began securing the area.

Witnesses Describe Terrifying Moments on Goliath

Several people visiting Six Flags Over Georgia described a disturbing scene as the incident unfolded aboard one of the park’s most prominent attractions. Witnesses reported seeing Kariem move from his seat before being thrown from the roller coaster as the train traveled along its elevated track. Some accounts indicated that he struck other passengers or park visitors before falling beneath the ride.

One witness, Nick Mendenhall, told CBS News Atlanta that he was nearby when he saw Kariem rise from his seat and move forward as the roller coaster traveled over a hill. The witness accounts have raised questions about the events immediately preceding the ejection, although investigators have not determined whether Kariem’s movement, the restraint system or another factor contributed to what occurred.

According to reporting by People magazine, Kariem was riding with his son at the time of the accident, while his wife and daughter were also visiting the park. The presence of his family has made the tragedy particularly heartbreaking, transforming what was intended to be a shared recreational experience into a devastating personal loss.

Emergency crews responded to the attraction while other passengers remained stranded aboard the stopped roller coaster. Park employees and first responders subsequently began evacuating riders using the attraction’s emergency access stairways and safety equipment. News helicopter footage showed passengers being escorted down from the elevated structure as investigators and medical personnel worked below.

Authorities reported that four additional people were injured, although their identities and the full extent of their injuries had not been publicly disclosed as of Tuesday afternoon. Investigators are continuing to gather witness statements, examine available footage and reconstruct the sequence of events surrounding the accident.

A Husband, Father and Atlanta School Technology Professional

Beyond the circumstances of his death, Kariem was a husband, father and member of Atlanta’s educational community whose work helped support the technological operations of a local school.

According to CBS News Atlanta, Kariem worked as an information technology manager at Wesley International Academy, an Atlanta charter school. His responsibilities involved supporting the technology infrastructure used by teachers, administrators and students, making him part of the school’s daily educational operations.

His death has affected colleagues and members of the school community, while his family faces the loss of a loved one who was spending time with them when the incident occurred. Cobb County authorities confirmed that Kariem’s next of kin had been notified before his identity was publicly released.

The circumstances surrounding the tragedy have drawn widespread attention because Kariem was reportedly accompanied by his family and because the accident involved a major roller coaster that has operated at Six Flags Over Georgia for approximately two decades.

For those closest to him, however, the investigation and the national attention surrounding the incident cannot diminish the personal consequences of losing a husband, father and colleague.

Six Flags Closes Similar Roller Coasters Across North America

The effects of the fatal incident have extended well beyond Georgia, prompting Six Flags Entertainment Corporation to temporarily suspend operations on several roller coasters with design similarities to Goliath. The closures were implemented as a precaution while investigators examine the circumstances that allowed a passenger to be ejected from the attraction.

According to the Associated Press, nine roller coasters at six amusement parks were temporarily closed following the October 12 tragedy. The affected attractions include major rides at Six Flags Great America in Illinois, Six Flags Magic Mountain in California, Six Flags Great Adventure in New Jersey, Carowinds in the Carolinas, Kings Island in Ohio and Canada’s Wonderland in Ontario.

Among the attractions identified in the precautionary shutdowns are Raging Bull, Nitro, Leviathan, Behemoth, Fury 325, Thunder Striker, Orion and Diamondback, along with a Goliath attraction at another Six Flags property. Many share engineering characteristics or a common manufacturer with the Georgia coaster, prompting the company to examine safety systems across multiple locations rather than limiting its response to the site of the accident.

The closures do not mean investigators have discovered defects on the other roller coasters. Instead, the decision allows operators and technical personnel to conduct additional inspections and review safety procedures while the investigation in Georgia continues.

The broader response demonstrates how an accident involving one major attraction can affect amusement park operations across an entire entertainment network. When parks operate rides with similar engineering and restraint systems, an unresolved safety concern at one location can prompt precautionary action at others until investigators better understand what happened.

Goliath: One of Georgia’s Largest Roller Coasters

Goliath has been one of Six Flags Over Georgia’s signature attractions since opening in 2006. The steel hypercoaster rises approximately 200 feet above the ground and reaches speeds approaching 70 miles per hour, making it one of the most recognizable rides at the Mableton amusement park.

Designed and manufactured by Swiss roller coaster company Bolliger & Mabillard, Goliath features steep drops, sweeping turns and elevated hills intended to produce sensations of acceleration and weightlessness. Unlike roller coasters that rely heavily on loops and inversions, Goliath’s design emphasizes speed, changes in elevation and extended periods of airtime.

The attraction uses lap-bar restraints to secure passengers during the ride. Because Goliath’s layout includes substantial changes in speed, height and gravitational forces, the proper operation of its restraint systems is an important component of passenger safety.

Investigators have not determined whether a restraint malfunction, passenger movement, equipment condition or operational issue contributed to Kariem’s ejection. Authorities are expected to examine the attraction’s mechanical systems, maintenance history, operating procedures and available evidence before reaching conclusions about the cause of the fatal accident.

State and Cobb County Investigators Examine What Went Wrong

The Georgia Office of the Commissioner of Insurance and Safety Fire has opened an investigation into the fatal incident, joining the Cobb County Police Department in examining the circumstances surrounding Kariem’s death.

Georgia’s Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner oversees amusement ride safety regulation within the state, including inspections and compliance with applicable requirements. The agency’s involvement is particularly significant because the incident raises questions about the attraction’s safety systems and whether established operating procedures were followed.

In comments reported by WSB-TV, state officials confirmed that investigators were conducting a comprehensive review of the October 12 accident. The examination is expected to consider available maintenance and inspection records, witness accounts and other evidence that may help determine how the passenger was ejected.

Meanwhile, the Cobb County Police Department’s Major Crimes Unit is conducting a separate investigation into the death. Detectives are gathering statements from park employees and witnesses while attempting to establish a detailed timeline of the events preceding and following the accident.

The parallel investigations will help determine whether the tragedy resulted from equipment failure, procedural issues, human factors or a combination of circumstances. At this stage, no official finding has established the cause, and authorities have not publicly assigned responsibility to the park, its employees, the ride manufacturer or the victim.

Six Flags and Cobb County Officials Respond to the Tragedy

Six Flags Entertainment Corporation expressed condolences to Kariem’s family and said it was cooperating with authorities investigating the fatal incident. The company indicated that park employees and emergency responders acted quickly after becoming aware of the situation and that support was being provided to affected guests and staff.

The company’s decision to temporarily close similar attractions at other parks reflects the seriousness of the investigation and the need to address potential safety concerns before normal operations resume. Six Flags has not announced a confirmed reopening date for Goliath at the Georgia property.

Local officials also responded to the tragedy, recognizing both the family’s loss and the emotional impact on park visitors, employees and emergency personnel. Mableton Mayor Michael Owens expressed sympathy for those affected and said city public safety officials were coordinating with Cobb County authorities and park representatives.

Cobb County Commission Chairwoman Lisa Cupid described the accident as a devastating event for the community. In an official statement released October 12, Cupid acknowledged the grief experienced by the victim’s family and the concerns of injured visitors and employees who witnessed the incident.

Six Flags Over Georgia has served as a major regional entertainment destination for generations of residents and tourists, contributing to Cobb County’s recreational identity and local economy. The incident has therefore affected not only the individuals directly involved but also a community that has long regarded the park as a place where families gather to enjoy themselves.

Previous Incidents Renew Questions About Amusement Park Safety

The fatal accident has renewed public attention on amusement park safety and the oversight of large, high-speed attractions. While modern roller coasters incorporate extensive engineering and operational safeguards, serious incidents can lead to investigations involving mechanical systems, passenger restraints, operator training and emergency response procedures.

According to CBS News Atlanta, the October 12 tragedy was not the first death associated with the Goliath attraction. In July 2006, shortly after the coaster opened, a 45-year-old rider was found unresponsive when the train returned to its loading station. That death was reportedly connected to a medical emergency involving a heart condition, rather than a confirmed mechanical malfunction.

Other fatalities have occurred at Six Flags Over Georgia over the decades, including incidents involving restricted areas and circumstances unrelated to normal passenger operations. Those previous events differ substantially from the latest tragedy and should not be interpreted as evidence of a recurring mechanical defect.

Nevertheless, the reported ejection of a passenger from a moving roller coaster presents serious questions that investigators must address. Determining whether safety systems operated as intended, whether all procedures were followed and what circumstances preceded the ejection will be essential to understanding what happened.

The investigation’s findings could also influence safety practices at other parks operating similar attractions, particularly if authorities identify issues that extend beyond the specific circumstances of the Georgia incident.

A Family Tragedy With Consequences Beyond Georgia

For Kariem’s family, the events of October 12 represent a devastating loss that began during what should have been a day of recreation and shared memories. A husband and father who accompanied his loved ones to an amusement park never returned home, leaving his family to confront a tragedy that has since attracted national attention.

The four additional injured visitors and others who witnessed the accident must also contend with its physical and emotional consequences. Employees who responded to the emergency, passengers who remained aboard the stopped coaster and first responders who assisted at the scene were all affected by an incident that unfolded in a matter of moments.

For Six Flags, the immediate challenge is cooperating with investigators, ensuring the safety of its attractions and addressing concerns among visitors who may question how such an accident could occur. For Georgia regulators and Cobb County Police, the responsibility is to establish a factual explanation of what happened and determine whether any violations or safety failures contributed to the fatality.

The answers may take time. Investigators must evaluate physical evidence, witness testimony, operating records and other information before reaching conclusions that could affect the future operation of Goliath and similar attractions throughout North America.

As the investigation continues, Cobb County Police are asking anyone with information about the incident to contact the department’s Major Crimes Unit at 770-499-3945, referencing case number 26066173.

For Kariem’s family, however, the central reality remains unchanged. What began as an ordinary family outing ended in an extraordinary tragedy, leaving loved ones mourning a husband and father whose life was cut short.

A.T.L. N.E.W.S. Georgia will continue following the investigation, the recovery of injured visitors and any findings released by state safety regulators or Six Flags Entertainment Corporation.