Six Flags Over Georgia man who died falling from Goliath roller coaster id as Atlanta teacher, Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem as officials investigate how the father riding with his son was thrown to his death as horrified witnesses looked on.
The man who thrown to his death while a rollercoaster with his son has been identified as a teacher from the Atlanta area.
Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem, 42, was killed after falling off the 200-foot tall Goliath rollercoaster at the Six Flags Over Georgia amusement park on Monday, 11Alive reported.
The man was on the 3.5 minute ride with his son on Columbus Day while his wife and daughter watched on from the ground, the outlet reported.
ATLANTA EDUCATOR IDENTIFIED AS SIX FLAGS VICTIM. Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem, 42, worked at Wesley International Academy, Atlanta Public Schools confirmed. Cobb County police say he was ejected from the ride; the cause remains under investigation. Cobb County, GA • Oct. 12, 2026 https://t.co/TCOrL5QBtD
— Wick Gone Wild (@WickGoneWILD) October 13, 2026
What caused Atlanta teacher to be thrown off Six Flags Georgia roller coaster?
Kariem was mid-ride with his son just on 3. 58 p.m, when the dad ‘somehow’ came out of his seat and struck roller coaster cars three different times along with striking other riders, before landing on the roof of a haunted house below. The incident led to several other riders being injured as the dad hit riders after ‘being ejected’ according to the Cobb County Police Department (CCPD).
‘Preliminary information gathered through witness and employee interview indicates Kariem was ejected from the ride and struck other patrons before falling beneath the attraction. Investigators continue to examine the circumstances surrounding the incident,’ police said.
Officers located Kariem beneath the ride, the department said. ‘He was unresponsive and not breathing. Officers immediately secured the scene and requested assistance from the Major Crimes Unit.’
It remains unclear how exactly Kariem fell — whether a mechanical failure, operator error or some other kind of failure. The Cobb County Police Department and the state agency that oversees amusement parks, the Office of the Commissioner of Insurance and Safety Fire, are investigating the incident.
Horrified witness recall man suddenly falling
Parkgoer, Logan Conner, who was riding Goliath with his fiancé, said the man ‘started levitating in the air sideways’ as he plummetted.
The witness and his wife claimed to WXIA that their seats were checked before the ride began.
The fall was captured on some official souvenir photos available to other riders, many of whom were covered in the victim’s blood. Four other riders were injured, officials said.
‘He hit a girl two rows in front of us on the Goliath ride right where the pictures are taken,’ one woman on the ride told WXIA.
‘His blood splattered over everybody, and his body fell behind one of the haunted attractions,’ she added.
Witnesses reported seeing a rider thrown into the woods before the train coming to a sudden halt on the track.
Brittany Landry, who was waiting to ride the Georgia Scorcher, said she saw ‘somebody fly out and just fly into the woods’ from about 150 feet away, Fox5 reported.
Safety harness dislodged
The incident has since led to questions of how the rider came to be thrown off the amusement park ride.
The man’s cause of death has not been revealed, and investigations are ongoing.
Kariem’s safety harness appeared to become ‘dislodged’ while on the 3-and-a-half-minute attraction and ‘he flew out,’ fellow rider Fred Sowemimo told NBC.
‘You can see images of the person out of the seat,’ he said of the souvenir pics. ‘You can see him on the girl on her row.’
‘We initially thought it was a prank,’ added Sowemimo’s wife, Vanessa.
Riders were evacuated from cars four at a time following the accident and descending down one of the ride’s inclines, video shows.
Beloved teacher remembered as Six Flags closes ‘giga’ rides
His family described him as a ‘passionate educator’ from metro Atlanta who loved his city and was invested in bringing families back together.
He was an employee at Wesley International Academy in the Atlanta Public Schools district, APS said.
‘Atlanta Public Schools extends its deepest condolences to the family, friends, and loved ones of Mr. Kariem. He was a cherished member of the Wesley International Academy and APS families whose presence and impact will be deeply missed by our students, staff, and all those whose lives he touched. Our thoughts are with everyone mourning his loss during this difficult time,’ the district said in a statement.
The tragedy also led to the Georgia amusement park releasing a statement, including that they were cooperating with investigators.
‘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 Six Flags Over Georgia stated in a release.
‘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.’
It’s not known what caused the man to fall out of his seat.
The incident remains under investigation, and the ride remained closed on Tuesday.
Goliath, known as a hypercoaster, opened in 2006 and reaches top speeds of 70 mph during the ride according to the Six Flags website. The ride’s 200-foot elevation makes it Georgia’s tallest rollercoaster.
Six Flags, the biggest amusement park company in America, shut down its nine large ‘gigacoasters’ like the Goliath across North America ‘out of an abudance of caution.’
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 and represents victims.
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