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Cobb County police said Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem was ejected from his seat on the Goliath hypercoaster at Six Flags Over Georgia and struck other patrons before falling beneath the attraction, where officers found him unresponsive shortly before 4 p.m. local time on October 12. The 200-foot-tall ride, which reaches speeds of 70 mph, came to an abrupt halt on its first hill as staff evacuated passengers, according to aerial footage reviewed by local television stations. Witnesses told reporters from outlets including WXIA and USA TODAY that the man appeared to come loose from his restraints and hit the coaster car multiple times, with some park visitors describing the sequence as unfolding in slow motion while others attempted to reach for him.
Kariem, an information technology manager at Wesley International Academy in Atlanta Public Schools, had previously served as the school’s technology teacher and survived two bouts of cancer, the most recent in 2018, his family told local media. The district described him in a statement as a cherished member of the school community whose presence and impact will be deeply missed by students, staff and all those whose lives he touched. Relatives also noted that he had been in a car crash with his 10-year-old daughter three weeks before the incident, adding to their shock at his death as a devoted father and passionate educator.
Logan Conner, who was riding the Goliath with his fiancée when the event occurred, told interviewers he saw the man come out of his seat during the initial ascent. Other eyewitnesses reported to FOX 5 Atlanta and PBS News that the victim struck several people on the ride before landing on the roof of a nearby haunted house attraction, with one souvenir photo from the coaster reportedly capturing the fall. Police emphasized that preliminary information from witness and employee interviews pointed to the ejection, though the full sequence remains under active investigation by the department’s Major Crimes Unit.
Six Flags Entertainment Corp. announced the temporary closure of nine similar roller coasters at six of its parks across the United States and Canada out of an abundance of caution while cooperating with authorities. A company spokesperson said staff members and local officials responded immediately to the scene at the Austell, Georgia, park, which had already been scheduled to close the following day. One train on the Goliath remained stopped on the track Tuesday as the broader review of comparable attractions proceeded, according to reports from the Associated Press.
The Georgia Office of the Commissioner of Insurance and Safety Fire, which oversees amusement park compliance, stated that it is reviewing the incident to ensure full adherence to all applicable policies and procedures. Investigators have not released details on the injuries sustained by other patrons who were struck during the event or determined any specific cause such as restraint malfunction. Kariem’s next of kin have been notified, and the inquiry continues to examine all circumstances surrounding the ejection from the ride, police added.
Family members described Kariem to WXIA as someone who had overcome health challenges and remained committed to his work in education until the day of the tragedy. The incident has left many park visitors and the broader community shaken, with multiple eyewitnesses recounting prayers for his safety as the events unfolded overhead. Authorities have urged anyone with additional information to come forward as the joint investigation between police and state safety regulators moves forward.
