Atlanta School Community Mourns Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem After Six Flags Goliath Tragedy
Cobb County police identify the 42-year-old Atlanta school IT manager who died after being ejected from Goliath at Six Flags Over Georgia. Investigators are still determining what happened.
COBB COUNTY, Ga. — A family outing to Six Flags Over Georgia ended in tragedy Monday, October 12, when a 42-year-old Atlanta man died following an incident on the Goliath roller coaster. By Tuesday, the loss had become personal for an Atlanta school community: police identified the man as Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem, who worked at Wesley International Academy.
In the aftermath, Cobb County investigators are trying to determine exactly how the incident occurred. The family's loss and the uncertainty surrounding the ride are two parts of a developing story that deserves careful reporting, not speculation.
Who was Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem?
Kariem, 42, worked as an IT manager at Wesley International Academy, a K–8 charter school connected to the Atlanta Public Schools system. School technology staff support many of the everyday systems families and educators depend on, from classroom devices and connectivity to the tools that help schools communicate and operate.
Atlanta Public Schools issued condolences Tuesday and described Kariem as a valued and deeply missed member of the Wesley International Academy and APS communities. The district's statement focused on the people affected by his loss—students, staff and those who knew him. Beyond his job title, that is the part of the story his colleagues will carry forward.
What investigators have confirmed
The Cobb County Police Department says officers at the park responded at approximately 3:58 p.m. Monday to a report involving a male guest on a roller coaster. Officers found Kariem beneath the ride, unresponsive and not breathing.
Based on preliminary witness and employee interviews, investigators say Kariem was ejected from the ride and struck other patrons before falling beneath the attraction. Other park guests were reported injured. The Major Crimes Unit is investigating.
Police have not established the cause of the ejection. The early account does not prove that a mechanical defect, rider action, a restraint problem or an operator mistake caused what happened. Those possibilities should not be presented as conclusions while investigators continue their work.
What is known about the ride and park response
Goliath is one of the park's signature roller coasters, marketed as a high-speed attraction with a peak height of approximately 200 feet and speeds reaching 70 mph. Six Flags said it was cooperating with the investigation and expressed condolences after the fatality. The company also temporarily closed a number of similar coasters elsewhere as a precaution, according to national reporting.
Precautionary closures are not themselves a finding about the cause. Investigative findings, any final technical review and decisions about reopening affected attractions may develop after this article's publication. Families looking for updated park operating information should consult Six Flags directly.
A loss felt beyond the park
Wesley International Academy and the broader Atlanta school community now face the loss of someone who contributed to the routines of a school day. That human impact can be easy to overlook when the first headlines focus on roller coaster specifications and eyewitness accounts.
Public discussion should leave room for the people grieving while authorities work through the evidence. It is appropriate to ask questions about ride safety, but those questions need documented answers—not online theories or graphic retellings of someone's last moments.
What happens next
Police say the investigation remains active. Anyone with relevant information has been asked to contact the Cobb County Police Department Major Crimes Unit at (770) 499-3945 and reference case 26066173.
This article reflects what authorities and the school community had publicly confirmed on October 13. ANG will distinguish subsequent verified developments from the initial police account if new findings are released.
The Georgia inside the story
Six Flags Over Georgia has been part of generations of family memories in metro Atlanta. For the Kariem family and the Wesley International Academy community, October 12 instead became the day they lost someone important. A responsible Georgia story should remember the person, not just the attraction, while seeking clear and evidence-based answers about what happened.