The man who died after being “ejected” from his seat on the Goliath roller coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia has been identified by authorities and his family as a beloved father and educator in Atlanta.
Death at Six Flags Over Georgia
On Monday, October 12, reports emerged that someone had died after falling out of a ride vehicle on Goliath, a roller coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia in Mableton. Police, eyewitness accounts, and on-ride photos later confirmed that the man was “ejected” from the attraction, hit other passengers, and struck ride infrastructure multiple times before falling in the area of a haunted house building used for the park's annual Halloween event, Fright Fest.
Passengers reportedly screamed to ride attendants as their train pulled back into the station, some of whom reported having blood on their clothes and/or bodies. Operators emergency-stopped the second train, which was in operation, and evacuated everyone still on board. An investigation into the tragic incident is ongoing.
Goliath, manufactured by Swiss company Bolliger & Mabillard (B&M), features a clamshell-style lap bar. Citing an abundance of caution, Six Flags Entertainment Corporation closed nine B&M roller coasters featuring similar restraints (though some feature additional retractable seatbelts) at parks across North America, including:
- Raging Bull at Six Flags Great America
- Goliath at Six Flags Magic Mountain
- Nitro at Six Flags Great Adventure
- Leviathan and Behemoth at Canada's Wonderland
- Fury 325 and Thunder Striker at Carowinds
- Orion and Diamondback at Kings Island
SeaWorld Orlando also closed its B&M coaster, Mako, which also features clamshell-style lap bars and does not have added seatbelts.
Man Identified on Tuesday
On Tuesday, police identified the man fatally ejected from Goliath as 42-year-old Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem of Atlanta. According to a family member who spoke with 11Alive, Kariem was an educator and a father who loved his city with a passion for keeping families together. He was visiting the park with his family that day and rode Goliath next to his son.
Kariem survived cancer twice, most recently in 2018. Three weeks ago, according to his family, the man and his 10-year-old daughter were in a “fiery car accident,” but both miraculously came out unharmed.
Kariem worked as an IT manager, technology teacher, and robotics coach at Wesley International Academy in the Atlanta Public Schools district. The school said he left “a lasting impact on generations of students and colleagues.”
“The Wesley International Academy community is devastated by the loss of Hassan Kariem, affectionately known as Mr. Kariem, who was a beloved colleague, friend, and integral part of the Wesley family for more than 12 years,” the school said in a statement. “…His love for Wesley, dedication to our students, and commitment to our school community were evident in everything he did. Mr. Kariem was deeply loved and respected, and his absence will be felt throughout our school community. Our hearts are with his family, friends, colleagues, students, and all who knew and loved him as we mourn this tremendous loss. We ask that our community keep Mr. Kariem's family in their thoughts and respect their privacy during this difficult time.”
Should Six Flags Over Georgia ever reopen Goliath? Share your opinion with Disney Fanatic in the comments.
