Six Flags permanently closes X2 coaster after brain injury lawsuits
Rule Changes
Rotating-seat ride retired after more than 100 riders allege brain injuries and at least three deaths; nine other coasters closed after a Georgia death.
Six Flags Magic Mountain retired X2, its 76-mph coaster with seats that spin 360 degrees, after lawsuits alleged it injured more than 100 riders. The park closed the ride on July 12 and said on September 29 the closure was permanent.
On October 12, a 42-year-old man died after being ejected from the Goliath coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia. The company then shut nine rides across six parks. The X2 lawsuits still argue the ride's safety tests never measured rotational forces that can damage the brain; attorneys say at least three riders have died since 2022.
Why it matters
If courts accept that X2's rotating seats caused brain injuries, other extreme coasters face stricter testing and design rules. A man's death on the Goliath coaster two weeks after X2 closed has put Six Flags' whole ride-safety record in the spotlight.
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Key Indicators
100+
Riders alleging brain injuries in past two years
Attorney Gary Dordick's firm alone represents more than 100 people who reported brain injuries after riding X2 since 2024.
3
Rider deaths allegedly linked to X2
Christopher Hawley died in June 2022; attorneys cite at least two further deaths, including one in late 2025.
9
Roller coasters closed across six parks
Six Flags shut nine rides after the Goliath death at Six Flags Over Georgia on October 12, 2026.
16M
Total riders since 2008 reopening
Six Flags says more than 16 million people rode the coaster after it reopened as X2 in May 2008.
76 mph
Top speed
X2 reached 76 mph with a 215-foot drop and seats that rotated a full 360 degrees during the ride.
16 events
Latest: October 13th, 2026 · 4 weeks ago
Showing 8 of 16
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October 2026
Six Flags closes nine coasters across six parks
LatestSuspension
The company shut nine roller coasters across six parks for review after the Georgia death, including a second ride at Magic Mountain. The closures came less than a month after X2's permanent shutdown.
Man dies after being ejected from Goliath at Six Flags Over Georgia
Death
Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem, 42, of Atlanta, was ejected from the Goliath roller coaster and died. Police said several other riders were injured.
September 2026
Six Flags announces permanent X2 closure
Decision
Park president Brian Oerding says the ride will not reopen, citing guest confidence, after attorneys report 100+ additional injury claimants.
State investigation into X2 remains open
Investigation
The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health opened a probe into X2 after two riders were hospitalized in July. The agency said the investigation was ongoing at the time of the closure announcement.
Three riders sue Six Flags and S&S Worldwide
Legal
Guillen, Greer-Wilkinson's parents, and attorney Michael Wilk file suit in California Superior Court alleging defective design.
August 2026
Hawley family settles wrongful death suit
Settlement
Christopher Hawley's family reached a confidential settlement with Six Flags over his 2022 death at the end of August, days before trial was to begin.
CNN investigation documents years of X2 injuries
Investigation
CNN reports more than a dozen serious injuries and hospitalizations linked to X2, including two deaths.
July 2026
Six Flags suspends X2 operation
Suspension
The park closes X2 one day after Greer-Wilkinson's hospitalization, citing safety concerns.
Naomi Greer-Wilkinson hospitalized, enters coma
Injury
The 26-year-old loses consciousness after riding X2 and remains in a coma, the second rider in six days hospitalized with a brain injury.
Pamela Guillen suffers brain hemorrhage on X2
Injury
Guillen suffers a brain hemorrhage after riding; Six Flags continues operating the ride without a warning.
February 2026
Attorney Michael Wilk suffers intracranial bleeding
Injury
Wilk needs emergency surgery for intracranial bleeding after riding X2 in February, per his lawsuit.
December 2025
Another rider dies after X2, attorneys say
Death
Attorneys say a young man died after riding X2 in late 2025, the latest alleged death linked to the ride.
June 2022
Christopher Hawley dies after riding X2
Death
The 22-year-old died in June 2022 after riding X2; the coroner ruled his death accidental blunt head trauma.
May 2008
Ride reopens as X2
Reopening
The coaster reopens as X2 with new trains and effects, drawing 16 million riders over the next 18 years.
2007
Ride closes again to replace trains
Maintenance
The coaster is shut down and fitted with lighter trains before reopening as X2 in May 2008.
2002
X debuts as first fourth-dimension coaster
Opening
X opens at Six Flags Magic Mountain with seats that rotate 360 degrees, then closes months later for design-flaw repairs.
Scenarios
1
Six Flags and S&S settle X2 injury claims en masse
Likely
Resolves by Q2 2028
Discussed by: Attorneys Gary Dordick and Christopher Bulone, who represent 100+ claimants and say more suits are planned
Six Flags already settled Christopher Hawley's wrongful death case in August 2026. As individual suits pile up, the company may pursue a global resolution covering the 100-plus claimants to cap liability. A consolidated settlement or class action would end most litigation without trials.
2
California imposes new safety rules for extreme coasters
Possible
Resolves by End of 2027
Discussed by: Attorney Christopher Bulone, who argues current testing standards were not designed to measure rotational forces
If courts or regulators accept that X2's rotating seats created forces beyond what ride-safety tests measure, California's Division of Occupational Safety and Health or the state legislature could mandate new testing protocols. Any rule would likely apply to future coasters, not retroactively to existing rides.
3
Government opens formal investigation into Six Flags ride safety
Possible
Resolves by Q2 2027
Discussed by: CNN investigation and family statements citing years of unreported injuries
The documented injuries and deaths, and allegations that Six Flags knew of injuries without warning riders, could draw a state or federal probe into how the company reported incidents. A formal investigation would review ride records and could expose broader safety failures across other attractions.
4
Cal/OSHA cites Six Flags over X2 ride safety
Possible
Resolves by End of 2027
Discussed by: California Division of Occupational Safety and Health, which opened a probe after the July hospitalizations
The state workplace-safety agency is investigating X2. Its findings could include citations against Six Flags over how the ride operated, and could push new state testing rules for rotating-seat coasters.
5
Family sues Six Flags over the Goliath death
Likely
Resolves by End of 2027
Discussed by: Lawyers quoted by Law.com, who said the family and injured riders are likely to file suit
Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem was ejected from the Goliath coaster on October 12 and died. Lawyers told Law.com they expect his family and other injured passengers to sue Six Flags Over Georgia, adding to the company's existing injury litigation.
Historical Context
3 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.
1 of 3
July 2017
Ohio State Fair Fireball accident (2017)
A mechanical failure on the Fireball pendulum ride threw riders through the air, killing 18-year-old Tyler Jarrell and injuring seven others. The ride had passed an inspection just days earlier.
Then
Ohio shut down the ride's operator and ordered equipment audits across the state; the ride manufacturer lost its U.S. business.
Now
The accident showed that passing an inspection did not guarantee mechanical soundness, prompting several states to tighten ride-safety rules.
Why this matters now
The same pattern now applies to X2: a ride that passed checks, a cluster of injuries, then park and state responses.
2 of 3
October 2016
Dreamworld Thunder River Rapids disaster (2016)
A water-pump failure on the rapids ride at Dreamworld on the Gold Coast, Australia, piled up rafts and trapped riders, killing four people.
Then
The park closed the ride immediately, faced a coronial inquest and criminal charges, and demolished the attraction two years later.
Now
The case drove Australia's first national amusement ride safety standards and a permanent ride-inspection regulator.
Why this matters now
A ride that passed inspection killed multiple riders; the aftermath became a template for how parks and regulators handle systemic safety failure.
3 of 3
September 2021
Glenwood Caverns Haunted Mine Drop death (2021)
A 6-year-old boy died on a drop tower at Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park in Colorado. An investigation found the ride's restraints could fail to secure a smaller rider.
Then
Colorado cited the park and the ride was permanently closed.
Now
The case reinforced that automated safety systems can be defeated by design or procedure, tightening inspection rules in the state.
Why this matters now
Illustrates that even rides with automated checks can harm riders when design or process fails, the question now facing X2.
