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Roller Coaster Shut Down After Brain Injury Claims
30 Sep
Summary
- X2 rollercoaster permanently closed after hundreds alleged brain injuries.
- Park president stated ride safety is a business cornerstone.
- A family settled a wrongful death suit related to the ride.
Six Flags Magic Mountain has permanently closed its popular X2 rollercoaster, which had been shut down since July. The decision follows hundreds of claims from riders alleging they sustained brain injuries after experiencing the ride. The park maintained that X2 passed all safety inspections but ultimately retired it due to concerns affecting guest confidence.
Legal action and media reports highlighted the alleged injuries, with one law firm stating some clients required emergency brain surgery. This firm welcomed the closure for future guests but noted it offered no recourse for those already harmed. The ride, originally named X, opened in 2002 and underwent modifications in 2007 and 2008 before reopening as X2.
More than 16 million people had ridden X2 since its reopening. The closure gained further gravity after the family of 22-year-old Christopher Hawley settled a wrongful death suit in August, following his death in 2022 after riding X2. Legal representatives for the Hawley family expressed that the closure, while acknowledged, does not undo the tragedy and called for systemic reforms in regulation and oversight.
