A wave of criticism followed Six Flags after the death of a rider on the Goliath roller coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia on Monday, when the amusement park decided to stop operations of nine similar rides. Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem, 42, from Atlanta, was identified as the victim who was ejected from the coaster at around 4 p.m. at the park located in Austell, about 10 miles west of Atlanta.
According to preliminary information provided by Cobb County Police, Kariem was "ejected from the ride and struck other patrons before falling beneath the attraction." Police found him unconscious and without a pulse. Kariem was an enthusiastic educator at Wesley International Academy, a public charter school in the Atlanta Public Schools district.
The district stated: "He was a cherished member of the Wesley International Academy and APS families whose presence and impact will be deeply missed." Witnesses described an awful sight; one eyewitness told 11Alive, "He fell and hit the car three different times." Kariem can be seen in their souvenir photograph.
He struck other passengers before falling onto a haunted house ride beneath him. Six Flags expressed profound sadness and is cooperating with investigations.
Additionally, as an "abundance of caution," it has shut down nine more coasters, including the Raging Bull at Six Flags Great America, Nitro at Six Flags Great Adventure, and the Fury 325 at Carowinds. The Goliath coaster at Montreal's La Ronde is also temporarily shut down.
This follows an incident two weeks ago where Six Flags Magic Mountain took the X2 coaster out of service due to brain injury lawsuits. The cause of Monday's accident remains under investigation by the Cobb County Major Crimes Unit and Georgia's amusement park safety agency.
A vigil for Kariem will be held soon. The tragedy has sparked a national conversation regarding the safety protocols of high-speed amusement park attractions.
Experts suggest that mechanical failures or human error during the ride's operation could be the primary focus of the ongoing forensic investigation. As the community mourns, the school district has offered counseling services to students and staff affected by the loss of their beloved teacher.