Over the weekend, a North Carolina woman was the victim of a terrifying attack at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey. Melissa Mauldin, who was waiting for a friend at the airport, was suddenly approached from behind by a homeless repeat offender wielding a knife. Mauldin described the moment when she felt the pressure of the knife on her face, initially mistaking it for a hit before turning around to see the attacker staring at her.
Reacting swiftly, Mauldin ran through the airport screaming for help as the assailant, identified as 54-year-old Jin Xiong, was apprehended and charged with aggravated assault and unlawful possession of a weapon. There is a possibility of an upgraded charge to attempted murder, as per the Union County Prosecutor’s Office.
Mauldin, who was in New Jersey for a friend's wedding, expressed her frustration with the judicial system, holding it responsible for the attack. She criticized the leniency shown towards Xiong, who had a history of violent offenses and had been released from jail just days before the incident.
According to Mauldin, the judges handling Xiong's cases had repeatedly failed to prioritize public safety by issuing minor charges for his previous crimes. She emphasized the need for stricter consequences for individuals with a history of violence to prevent further harm to the community.
Xiong's criminal record dates back to 2009, with incidents including stabbing two people in 2007 and a New Jersey corrections officer in 2009. Mauldin, still shaken by the recent attack, expressed disbelief at the repeated leniency shown towards a dangerous individual like Xiong.
As Mauldin seeks to raise awareness about her ordeal and advocate for stricter measures against repeat offenders, she hopes that sharing her story will prevent others from falling victim to similar acts of violence.
