Riders Struck by Man Ejected From Georgia Roller Coaster

A fatal roller coaster incident at Six Flags Over Georgia left a 42-year-old Atlanta man dead after he was ejected from the ride, struck other guests and fell beneath the attraction, according to preliminary witness and employee interviews cited by Cobb County police.

Police identified the man as Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem. Officers working at the park responded at 3:58 p.m. Monday and found him beneath the ride, unresponsive and not breathing, according to a department news release.

Authorities said Kariem's next of kin had been notified. The department's Major Crimes Unit is investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident.

Officials have not determined what caused Kariem to leave his seat or provided details about injuries sustained by the other guests involved in the incident.

Witnesses who spoke to multiple media outlets described seeing Kariem come out of his seat during the ride. They said he struck the attraction three times before falling onto a haunted house structure below.

Six Flags Over Georgia did not identify the specific ride in its statement following the incident. However, local television stations showed passengers being evacuated from the Goliath roller coaster.

The company temporarily closed nine similar roller coasters across six parks as a precaution, according to a Six Flags spokesperson. The closures followed the fatal incident while authorities continued investigating what happened.

A company spokesperson expressed condolences over the incident and said Six Flags was providing support to guests and employees affected by the event.

"We are deeply saddened by the guest incident at our park today," the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson also said the company was supporting affected guests and staff as it responded to the incident. Police have not released a determination on the cause of Kariem's ejection or details about the condition of the other riders.