Permit suspended at ropes course where teen fatally injured

A Georgia man has died after being injured last week at Ijams Nature Park in South Knoxville.

An 18-year-old died Wednesday following an accident at Navitat’s Ijams Canopy Experience, according to Knoxville police.

Horan graduated from Lambert High School in May, according to Jennifer Caracciolo, spokeswoman for Forsyth County Schools.

Officials say Horan slipped off a suspended log, and ended up hanging from the log with his harness around his neck.

Staff members lowered him to the ground a short time later and began performing CPR before he was taken to UT Medical Center in critical condition.

State inspectors in Tennessee suspended the newly-opened attraction’s operating license.

The center has been in operation for six years, but had been running just a few days this season when the incident occurred.

Channel 2 Action News obtained a third-party inspection report that determined each piece of safety equipment Horan was wearing required standards.

“The thoughts and prayers of the entire Navitat and Ijams families have been, and will continue to be, with the family and friends of Gregory Horan”, Navitat representatives said in a statement released Thursday afternoon. We are devastated by this loss. The Asheville-based company pledges its full cooperation in the investigation.