Warning: This article contains some graphic details
One person has died and others were injured after an incident on a rollercoaster at an amusement park in the US state of Georgia.
The Cobb County Police Department is investigating the fatality at Six Flags Over Georgia, about 15 miles (24km) from Atlanta, a local official confirmed.
The ride involved has not been specified but aerial footage from news helicopters showed the Goliath rollercoaster stopped midway, with riders being helped off by workers.
Horrified witnesses have told local media they saw a man ejected from the ride – something the BBC has not verified.
Six Flags said it was temporarily closing nine rides across the US and Canada as a precaution.
It said it was “deeply saddened by the guest incident at our park today. Our thoughts and heartfelt condolences are with the guest’s family, friends, and loved ones”.
Lisa Cupid, the chairwoman of Cobb County’s governing body, said police detectives with the local major crimes unit “are investigating the circumstances surrounding this incident”.
The man who died has been identified as Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem, 42, who lived in nearby Atlanta, the Cobb County Police Department told the BBC.
Details about how he died and how other riders were injured have not yet been released but the BBC has contacted local police and fire authorities, as well as park officials.
Local outlet 11 Alive quoted a witness saying Kariem had come loose from his seat and had then struck the rollercoaster and some of his fellow riders before falling onto the roof of a nearby haunted house attraction.
The incident was captured in souvenir photos that were automatically taken of the rollercoaster while it was in motion, the witness added.
A husband and wife, who were on the ride, also told 11 Alive that Kariem fell from the ride and was struck by it. They said workers at the park had checked their safety harnesses before the ride set off.
“We were having a great time and to just screaming ‘Oh my God, what is happening?’,” the woman said.
