AUSTELL, Ga. — Six Flags Over Georgia continued normal business hours Sunday after Saturday's fighting and shooting outside of the park.
The Cobb County Police Department said officers responded to assist Six Flags security around 6:15 p.m. on Saturday as a crowd of 500 to 600 were "running through the park and fighting." Officers were able to follow the crowd out of the park onto Six Flags Parkway near South Service Road.
Around this location, a 15-year-old was shot after multiple people began shooting at police, with gunfire hitting an unoccupied Cobb County Police car, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. The teen was rushed to Grady Hospital, where he is in critical condition, the GBI said.
In an update, Cobb Police said the teen will face several charges in connection with the incident, including aggravated assault on a police officer, aggravated assault, possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime, possession of a firearm under 18 and interference with government property.
A day later, some say that although they knew of the incident, it did not scare them away from visiting.
For instance, Barbara Goss said she has season passes to the park but noticed Sunday's experience was totally different than what she's used to.
"It was really good. It wasn't that busy," Goss said. "There were several rides that were closed, but the lines weren't really that bad."
But there were also people like Shelby Crawford who were unaware of the incident. Crawford said she had no idea of the chaos from the night before.
"Did something happen? Has there been a fight?" Crawford questioned.
In general, Goss said she was not shocked when she found out about the fighting and shooting.
"It doesn't really surprise me," Goss stated. "I don't want to say it's common, but living in Georgia since I was 13, I hear about it all the time."
11Alive previously reported that on Mar. 4, 2023, nearly one year from Saturday's shooting, young people were kicked out of Six Flags for "inappropriate behavior" on their opening day.
This past Saturday was also the opening day for the park.
And on Sunday, Goss noticed heightened security in the area following the incident.
"I did see a little more security people than normal, but it wasn't alarming," Goss said.
However, the chaos didn't seem to keep all the guests away. Between the more serene atmosphere and extra police presence, Jaz Cowan said he felt comfortable.
"It did seem a little more empty than usual, but, ultimately, I felt safe," Cowan said.
Cowan said he'd even return.
"They've set up certain precautions to be able to have more police around," Cowan said. "So, I don't see why not."
Following Saturday's incident, Six Flags said its goal is to provide safe and fun entertainment and that every guest is expected to follow a strict code of conduct.
"Just like other venues in the area, we are committed to keeping this type of trouble outside our park and off our property. There was police activity involving gunshots; we want to confirm there was no shooting at our property or parking lot," Six Flags said in a statement. "This took place on South Service Road that is not owned or operated by Six Flags. However, we join our community and the Atlanta region in our commitment to safety and security. We won’t put up with that type of activity here."
11Alive also asked a spokesperson for Six Flags if there are any plans to change the rules so that minors can not visit the park without an adult. We have not received a response as of Sunday.