😲 North Carolina woman attacked at Newark Airport
😲 The attack appears to have been random
😲 Woman was stabbed in the face
A North Carolina woman visiting a friend’s wedding in New Jersey was attacked and stabbed in the face at Newark Liberty International Airport.
The horrific incident occurred on Sunday as the woman was waiting for her flight home in Terminal A.
Terminal A of Newark Airport (Source: Port Authority of New York, New Jersey)
Melissa Mauldin, 36, told ABC 7 that while waiting for her flight, she was watching a little boy play when a man grabbed her from behind and stabbed her in the face.
Mauldin says she did nothing to provoke the attack and the man hit her with such force that her nose and cheekbones were broken.
It took over a dozen stitches to close the cut from the small knife.
The new Terminal A at Newark Liberty International Airport
Suspect recently released from prison
After the surprise attack, passersby rushed to Mauldin’s aid and the port police immediately arrested their attacker.
The attacker was identified as 54-year-old Xiong Jin.
Mauldin says Jin wasn’t there to catch a flight and didn’t have any luggage. She claims he was just there to hurt someone and singled her out for some reason.
ABC 7 reported that police said Jin had been released from prison just two days earlier. He had been in prison since 2009 for assault.
Jin was charged with aggravated assault and illegal possession of weapons.
It is not known whether he has an attorney to speak on his behalf.
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