A homeless man allegedly stabbed a North Carolina tourist in the cheek at Newark Airport on Sunday night – just eight days after the suspect began serving a nearly three-year prison sentence, according to police.
Melissa Mauldin was waiting for her friend to return from the restroom when repeat offender Xiong Jin, 54, allegedly attacked her with a knife on the departure level of Terminal A at New Jersey airport around 5 p.m., authorities said.
Port Authority Police witnessed the shocking stabbing, which left Mauldin with a nasty gash, and immediately handcuffed the suspect.
In a statement to the Washington Post, Mauldin said her alleged attacker should face the harshest punishment once arrested.
“This man poses a serious danger to society and should remain in custody – whether in jail, a detention yard or a mental health facility – to prevent further harm to others,” Mauldin said.
“No one should have to go through such a traumatic event, and I will work to ensure that Xiong Jin does not inflict further violence on others.”
Mauldin said she was attending a wedding in Hoboken, New Jersey and was on her way home when she was “violently attacked” from behind by the suspect.
“I travel for a living,” she told ABC 7, which first reported the stabbing on Monday. “I’ve traveled to many different countries, I’ve been to almost every state in the United States.”
“I’ve always felt safe and last night I told my fiancé Max that I feel like all that security has been taken away from me, even though I’ve done nothing to deserve it.”
Mauldin was taken to a local hospital where she received 14 stitches on the right side of her face and was also treated for a broken nose and cheekbone.
Jin has been charged with aggravated assault and illegal possession of a firearm, port police said. He is currently in Essex County Jail.
According to sources, Jin could face an aggravated charge of attempted murder.
Jin allegedly stabbed a New Jersey correctional officer in the neck with a sharpened pencil in 2009 and stabbed two local residents in 2007 after they invited him to their home, the Star Ledger reported in two articles at the time.
According to law enforcement sources, he was also once accused of attempting to stab the owner of a Chinese restaurant.
A report by the State Bureau of Corrections shows that Jin was imprisoned at least three times between 2009 and 2024. He was most recently released on August 17 of this year after being charged with aggravated assault.
The Port Authority Police (PBA) said the quick action of Officer Ryan Mangold, who handcuffed Jin, may have saved Mauldin’s life.
“Our officer did an outstanding job. This started with simply being in the right place at the right time and getting out of his shoes,” PBA President Frank Conti said in a statement. “His immediate actions prevented further injury and potentially saved the victim’s life.”
“Our members can find themselves in situations like this every day and on every tour, and yet it is another example of police work that many like to downplay or pretend doesn’t exist.”
