Six Flags enveloped in scrutiny after rider killed on Georgia roller coaster

• Six Flags shares were down 16% in early-afternoon trading Tuesday.

The latest: A man died at Six Flags Over Georgia after falling from a car on the Goliath roller coaster, local outlet WXIA reported, citing multiple eyewitness accounts.

• Six Flags said in a statement that "the park team and local authorities responded immediately, and we are cooperating fully with local authorities as they complete their investigation."

• The company is temporarily closing nine rides — including the Goliath coaster in Georgia — "out of an abundance of caution" while it investigates the incident.
• The maker of the Georgia coaster, Switzerland-based Bolliger & Mabillard, is "actively investigating the incident and will not comment further until we have a better understanding of what happened," Olivier Bolliger told Axios in a statement Tuesday.

The incident comes after Six Flags had already been under the microscope. A CNN investigation published in August "documented reports of serious injuries and deaths associated with" the X2 ride at Six Flags Magic Mountain in California.

• The company announced nearly two weeks ago that it would permanently close the ride.

Zoom out: Regional amusement parks have been mired in a slump, falling behind marquee destinations like Disney parks and Universal locations while also competing with other forms of personal entertainment.

• Six Flags announced in March that it would sell seven of its regional parks for $331 million to real estate investment trust EPR Properties.
• The deal included Valleyfair in Minneapolis; Worlds of Fun in Kansas City; Michigan's Adventure in Grand Rapids; Schlitterbahn Waterpark in Galveston, Texas; Six Flags St. Louis; Six Flags Great Escape in Queensbury, New York; and Six Flags La Ronde in Montreal.

Here's the full list of coasters that are temporarily shut down:

• Six Flags Over Georgia – Goliath
• Six Flags Great America – Raging Bull
• Six Flags Magic Mountain – Goliath
• Six Flags Great Adventure – Nitro
• Canada's Wonderland – Leviathan and Behemoth
• Carowinds – Fury 325 and Thunder Striker
• Kings Island – Orion and Diamondback

Editor's note: This story was updated to include a statement from Six Flags.