Hassan Jihad Ibn kariem: Atlanta educator dies after being ejected fro Goliath coaster

A wave of criticism followed Six Flags after the death of a rider on the Goliath roller coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia on Monday, when the amusement park decided to stop operations of nine rides like it.

Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem, 42, from Atlanta, was identified as the victim who was thrown out of the coaster at around 4 p.m. from the park located in Austell, which is about 10 miles west of Atlanta. According to preliminary information provided by Cobb County Police, Kariem was “ejected from the ride and struck other patrons before falling beneath the attraction.” The police found him unconscious and without a pulse.

Kariem was an enthusiastic educator at Wesley International Academy, a public charter school in the Atlanta Public Schools district. The district said in a statement: “He was a cherished member of the Wesley International Academy and APS families whose presence and impact will be deeply missed.”

An awful sight greeted witnesses who saw what happened. An eyewitness told 11Alive, "He fell and hit the car three different times." Kariem can be seen in their souvenir photograph. He hit some of the other passengers before falling on top of a haunted house ride that was beneath him.

Six Flags expressed its profound sadness and is cooperating with the investigations. In addition, as an "abundance of caution," it has shut down nine more coasters, including the Raging Bull at Six Flags Great America, Nitro at Six Flags Great Adventure, and the Fury 325 at Carowinds. The Goliath coaster at Montreal's La Ronde is also temporarily shut down.

This happens two weeks after Six Flags Magic Mountain took the X2 coaster out of service due to brain injury lawsuits from its passengers. The reason for Monday's accident is still under investigation by the Cobb County Major Crimes Unit and Georgia's amusement park safety agency.

A vigil for Kariem will be held soon.