Tuesday, September 29th, 2026 — Six Flags Magic Mountain has permanently retired its X2 roller coaster as the Southern California amusement park faces litigation alleging severe and fatal brain injuries connected to the ride.

The park recently settled a wrongful-death lawsuit brought by the family of 22-year-old Christopher Hawley, who died one day after riding X2 in 2022. Hawley was hospitalized with severe brain bleeding after the ride, and the medical examiner determined that he died from blunt head trauma. The settlement was reached at the end of August, days before the case was scheduled for trial. The amount was not disclosed in the provided material.

Three additional lawsuits alleging traumatic brain injuries were filed last week. Among the plaintiffs is the family of Naomi Greer-Wilkinson, 25, who collapsed after riding X2 and was diagnosed with massive intracranial bleeding that required emergency brain surgery. Her family alleges she remains hospitalized in a vegetative state, unable to speak or move and dependent on a ventilator.

The coaster had been closed since July 12 after two women who rode it less than a week apart required hospital treatment after exiting the ride. Attorneys representing Greer-Wilkinson said more than 100 people have claimed they suffered brain injuries after riding X2 during the past two years and said additional lawsuits are expected. Those figures are allegations from the attorneys and are not independently established by the information provided.

Six Flags said X2 had consistently passed numerous safety tests but chose to permanently close it after concerns affected guest confidence. Park President Brian Oerding said ride safety was central to the decision.

X2 reached speeds of 76 mph and used seats capable of rotating 360 degrees while riders traveled through inversions and steep drops. The attraction opened in 2002 as X and was promoted as the world's first fourth-dimension roller coaster. It reopened as X2 in 2008 with new trains and special effects.

For liability claims professionals, the pending cases put several issues in focus, including alleged causation between ride forces and neurological injuries, the significance of inspection and maintenance records, prior incident histories, medical evidence, and the effect of multiple similar allegations on litigation strategy. The source material does not establish that a mechanical defect caused the reported injuries, and Six Flags has said the coaster passed its safety testing.