‘Just flew out’: Witnesses recount horror fatal Six Flags rollercoaster incident
The man who was thrown from his seat and died while riding on a rollercoaster at a major United States theme park has been identified.
Officials in Georgia announced that Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem, 42, was killed at Six Flags Over Georgia in Austell on Monday.
The man who died after being thrown from a rollercoaster at the Six Flags Over Georgia theme park has been identified. AP Photo/Mike Stewart
In an update, the Cobb County Police Department says early inquiries show Kariem “was ejected from the ride and struck other patrons before falling beneath the attraction”.
Officers at the scene found him beneath the Goliath roller coaster he was riding. He was unresponsive and not breathing.
Park officials have yet to determine how he came to be ejected from his seat.
They have also not released details on the condition of other patrons struck by Kariem.
Family and friends have paid tribute to Kariem. Facebook
He worked as the information technology manager at a school in Atlanta and before that was the school’s technology teacher, according to an online resume.
Visitors to the Atlanta-area park watched in horror as he fell out the ride’s carriage, prompting Six Flags to temporarily close nine similar roller coasters nationwide.
Logan Conner said he was on the Goliath rollercoaster with his fiancee when he saw the man come out of his seat.
“The man started levitating in the air sideways,” he told NBC. “We made direct eye contact with him.”
The death in Georgia prompted Six Flags to temporarily close nine similar coasters across North America. Mike Stewart
Britny Landry had been on the ride earlier Monday and was waiting in line to go again.
“We just look, and I just see somebody fly out,” she told WAGA-TV. She said she wasn’t sure at first what she saw. “Maybe somebody had a bag or something.”
Another witness, Nick Mendenhall, said the man fell headfirst back into the coaster, then was ejected from the ride on its final turn.
“It felt like slow-motion, but it happened in an instant,” Mendenhall said.
“I was just praying in those moments. I was praying: ‘God, please let him stay in that car.’”
A roller coaster is shown at Six Flags over Georgia on Monday, Oct. 12, 2026 AP Photo/Emilie Megnien
Another witness, CiCi Nelson, told BBC she was in line to ride Goliath when the rollercoaster returned and she saw an empty seat with a loose safety bar and a girl covered in blood.
Nelson described a scene of hysteria, adding that one man was "freaking out, saying someone fell off".
In a statement to nine.com.au, the park did not confirm the exact circumstances surrounding the incident, but said they “responded immediately” when it occurred.
“We are deeply saddened by the guest incident at our park today. Our thoughts and heartfelt condolences are with the guest’s family, friends, and loved ones. We are also providing support to the guests and team members affected,” a park spokesperson said.
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“The park team and local authorities responded immediately, and we are cooperating fully with local authorities as they complete their investigation. Out of respect for the family’s privacy, we will not be sharing additional details at this time.”
Six Flags Over Georgia is located in Austell, Georgia, about 24 kilometres from the state capital Atlanta, and occupies a 290-acre site.
The death would be at least the seventh at the Georgia park, including one in 2006 in which a man had a likely heart attack on the Goliath coaster, according to the Doan Law Firm, which tallies amusement park accidents across the United States and represents victims.
-Reported with Associated Press
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