Police identified the victim as 42-year-old Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem as investigators examine the fatal incident at the Georgia amusement park.
AUSTELL, Ga. — A 42-year-old Atlanta man died after being thrown from a roller coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia on Monday, authorities said, while several other people were injured and investigators began examining how the deadly incident happened.
Cobb County police identified the man Tuesday as Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem of Atlanta. Police said Kariem was thrown from the ride and struck other people as he fell. His body was later found on a nearby roof. Authorities have not released the conditions of the other people who were injured or announced what caused Kariem to come out of the ride.
The incident happened Monday afternoon at Six Flags Over Georgia in Austell, about 15 miles northwest of Atlanta. Witnesses described seeing a rider come out of his seat on the Goliath roller coaster. Passengers remaining on the ride were later evacuated after the coaster stopped, according to local news footage and witness accounts.
Officials initially did not publicly identify the coaster connected to Kariem’s death, although local television stations showed riders being removed from Goliath. Witnesses who said they were on or near the coaster identified it as the ride involved. Cobb County police’s major crimes unit is investigating the death.
Goliath opened in 2006 and reaches a top speed of about 70 mph. The coaster rises about 200 feet and uses a lap-bar restraint system. Authorities have not said whether the restraint system, rider behavior, a mechanical problem or another factor played a role in the incident, and no official cause has been announced.
Six Flags Over Georgia closed after the incident and remained closed Tuesday. The park’s website indicated it was scheduled to reopen Friday. Six Flags Entertainment Corp. said it was cooperating with authorities and providing support to guests and employees affected by the incident.
The company also temporarily closed nine similar roller coasters at six amusement parks as a precaution. The affected attractions include coasters at Six Flags parks and other properties operated by the company. Six Flags said the closures were made out of an abundance of caution while the Georgia incident is investigated.
Kariem worked for Atlanta Public Schools, the district confirmed Tuesday. The district said he was a member of the Wesley International Academy community, a kindergarten-through-eighth-grade charter school. The school system did not publicly detail his position, though reports citing his social media accounts described him as an information technology manager.
Atlanta Public Schools described Kariem as a valued member of the school community and said his loss would be deeply felt by students and staff. Cobb County Board of Commissioners Chairwoman Lisa Cupid also expressed condolences to his family and acknowledged the impact of the incident on visitors and employees who witnessed it.
The death comes as amusement ride safety has received renewed attention following other serious incidents at U.S. theme parks. Still, investigators have not announced any finding that connects Monday’s death to a broader safety problem or established that the Goliath coaster malfunctioned. Six Flags’ decision to close similar rides was described as precautionary.
Cobb County police and other authorities continued investigating Tuesday. Officials had not publicly announced a cause of death, explained how Kariem left the ride or released detailed information about the other injured guests. The park and company said they were cooperating with the investigation.
Author note: Last updated October 13, 2026.