Man’s fatal fall from Six Flags roller coaster sparks horrifying eyewitness accounts

Riders were seen stranded on the Goliath roller coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia on Monday.(@elchumbito83 via X)

On Tuesday, Atlanta Public Schools confirmed the victim was an employee of the district. 

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“Atlanta Public Schools extends its deepest condolences tothe family, friends and loved onesof Mr.Kariem,�“He was a cherished member of the Wesly International Academy and APS families whose presence and impact will be deeply missed by our students, staff and all those whose lives he touched.Our thoughts are with everyone mourning his loss during this difficult time.”

Another couple who were on the ride at the time of the incident described the terrifying moments surrounding the man’s death, according to WXIA.

“You don’t see things like this happen.It should never happen.”

“The vehicle [meaning the ride] hit him, and then he flew back up again, and it hit him again, and then that’s when he was, I guess, flung from the ride,” the man told the outlet.

“It went from having a great time to just screaming, ‘Oh my God, what is happening,'” his wife said.“You don’t see things like this happen.It should never happen.”

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Meanwhile, another Goliath rider said his train was ascending whenpassengers heard screamingand saw people running below.The ride then stopped, leaving them stranded for about an hour without updates.

“We were up there for an hour with no updates, no news, no nothing.We just saw everyone running out of the park,” the witness told WXIA.

“We are deeply saddened by the guest incident at our park today.”

Police did not immediately provide further details about the circumstances surrounding the incident.

Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem, 42, pictured here at left, was identified by Cobb County Police as the man who died following a reported fall from a roller coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia.(Facebook/Hassan Jihad Kariem;Alamy)

“We are deeply saddened by the guest incident at our park today,�

“Our thoughts and heartfelt condolences are with the guest’sfamily, friendsand loved ones.We are also providing support to the guests and team members affected.”

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Following the incident, Six Flags temporarilyclosed similar attractionsat other parks as a precaution, the company confirmed to local outlet WSB-TV.

“Out of an abundance of caution, we have temporarily closed similar attractions across our parks,” a Six Flags spokesperson said, according to the outlet.

“The safety of our guests and team members remains one of our highest priorities.”

As of Tuesday morning, it was unclear which rides were temporarily closed.Six Flags Magic Mountain in California and Six Flags Great America in Illinois also have roller coasters named Goliath, though the attractions feature different designs.

Coaster scrutiny

The incident comes as Six Flags has been facing scrutiny over another roller coaster at its Magic Mountain park in California.

Six FlagsMagic Mountain permanently closed its X2 roller coaster after multiple lawsuits accused the attraction of causing catastrophic brain injuries.

The Goliath roller coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia, seen above, was the site of a deadly incident Monday that prompted temporary closures at other parks.(Alamy)

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23.

So far, three lawsuits have been filed.

Magic Mountain Park President Brian Oerding said the coasterconsistently passed safety tests, but the park decided to close it amid concerns about guest confidence.

“While X2 consistently passed a multitude of safety tests, we have decided to close the ride because we believe it’s the right thing to do,” Oerding said in a statement.

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“Ride safety is a cornerstoneof our business, and when we see guest confidence affected, we take it seriously.”

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The company said it was providing support to guests and team members affected by the fatal incident at Six Flags Over Georgia.(Six Flags Over Georgia)

A Six Flags spokesperson previously declined to comment on pending litigation. 

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The allegations have not yet been adjudicated, and Six Flags will have an opportunity to respond in court.

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�s Louis Casiano contributed reporting.