What we know about the fatal roller coaster incident at Six Flags Over Georgia

Atlanta educator remembered after fatal Six Flags roller coaster fall

Earthguardiansonline.com – A 42-year-old Atlanta educator has been identified as the man who died after falling during a roller coaster ride at Six Flags Over Georgia on Monday, as local and state investigators examine the circumstances surrounding the incident.

Cobb County Police named the victim as Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem, who served Wesley International Academy as its IT manager, technology teacher and robotics coach. His death has brought grief to the Atlanta school community, where he was remembered as a valued colleague whose work reached students and staff in several areas of campus life.

The incident occurred at about 4 p.m. Monday. Preliminary accounts gathered from employees and witnesses indicated that Kariem was ejected from the ride, the Cobb County Police Department’s Major Crimes Unit said. He was found beneath the coaster unresponsive and not breathing.

Authorities have not publicly identified the specific ride involved. Witnesses at the park described the incident as occurring on Goliath, a hypercoaster that reaches 200 feet in height and speeds of up to 70 mph during its 210-second course. Images from above showed riders halted on a steep section of Goliath before they were escorted down a tall evacuation stairway.

Witnesses describe a chaotic scene

Several people were injured during the event, though police have not released the number of people hurt or details about their conditions. Emergency crews responded quickly, and people near the attraction were directed to leave the area.

A witness described seeing the man strike the coaster car multiple times while falling, before landing on the roof of a haunted-house attraction below. Another person said the fall appeared in a souvenir ride photograph.

CiCi Nelson, who was waiting to board Goliath, said a train returned with one vacant seat and distressed passengers. She said the restraint at the unoccupied seat appeared loose. Nelson also saw a young rider who seemed injured and covered in blood.

She recalled hearing another guest urgently call for staff to get help after realizing someone had fallen from the ride. The sudden disruption left riders, employees and bystanders confronting an intensely traumatic situation.

Kejuan Taylor, a Six Flags supervisor, said he was the first person to locate Kariem after the fall. Taylor said he had not been physically harmed but continued to struggle with what he witnessed in the days afterward.

“I have not suffered any physical injuries but it has been on my mind very recently through these past days,” Taylor said.

“It’s been genuinely horrifying” trying to process what happened after leaving work, he said.

Investigations focus on ride safety and circumstances

Detectives with Cobb County Police’s Major Crimes Unit are leading the death investigation. The department has asked anyone with information related to the event to contact investigators.

The Georgia Office of the Commissioner of Insurance and Safety Fire has opened a separate investigation. The agency oversees safety inspections for amusement rides and carnival attractions in the state. Its review is intended to determine what happened and whether applicable safety requirements and procedures were followed.

“Our investigative team is conducting an in-depth and comprehensive review to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident and to ensure full compliance with all applicable policies and procedures,” the agency said Tuesday.

Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner John King said inspectors had reviewed the state’s roller coasters before the park season began and were again examining the ride and related circumstances after the fatal incident. He said the review would include interviews and a detailed inspection.

“Our very professional inspectors have inspected every one of those roller coasters before the park season even started, and they’re currently on the ground looking at every nook and cranny, conducting interviews and conducting a thorough review of what happened,” King said.

King said he hoped to reassure Georgians once the investigative work had been completed.

“I look forward to be able to report back to the Georgia public that these rides are safe, they will continue to be safe, and we will continue inspecting them from top to bottom,” King said.

Six Flags Over Georgia expressed condolences after the incident, saying it was deeply saddened by what happened and extending sympathy to Kariem’s family, friends and loved ones.

Similar rides closed as review continues

At least 10 comparable roller coasters at six parks in the United States and Canada were temporarily closed while investigators work to establish the facts of the case. The precaution affects rides with similarities to Goliath, though the investigation has not publicly determined what caused Kariem to fall.

For visitors and families following the investigation, the most significant unanswered questions concern the ride’s operation, restraint system, rider experience and the sequence of events immediately before the fall. Officials have not announced conclusions on any of those issues. The closure of similar attractions reflects the continuing review rather than a stated finding about the cause of this incident.

School community mourns Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem

Kariem held several roles at Wesley International Academy, a public charter school in Atlanta. Beyond managing technology systems, he taught technology and coached robotics, placing him in regular contact with students whose learning extended beyond a traditional classroom setting.

Atlanta Public Schools called him a “cherished member” of the Wesley International Academy community and emphasized the personal impact he had on the people around him.

“Kariem’s presence and impact will be deeply missed by our students, staff, and all those whose lives he touched,” the school district said.

His death has connected a major public safety investigation with a profound loss for an Atlanta school community. While investigators continue their work, Kariem is being remembered not only for his professional responsibilities but also for the relationships formed through teaching, technology and robotics.