Six Flags permanently closes X2 rollercoaster amid brain injury suits

Six Flags Magic Mountain announced Tuesday it will permanently retire the X2 rollercoaster at its Valencia, California park, citing eroded guest confidence after hundreds of riders filed lawsuits alleging catastrophic brain injuries, including cases requiring emergency brain surgery.

Park President Brian Oerding framed the closure as a safety-culture decision. The ride passed internal safety testing but has been closed since July. Dordick Law Corporation, which filed civil suits against the park, said it had been contacted by hundreds of people who attributed neurological injuries to the ride.

The ride first opened in 2002, was closed for design repairs, reopened as X2 in 2008, and has since carried more than 16 million riders. Attorney Brent Wisner, who represented the family of Christopher Hawley — a 22-year-old who died after riding X2 in 2022 — said the closure did not undo the harm already done. The Hawley family settled a wrongful death suit with the park in August.