Gao Haiping was a 24-year-old miner and the only child in his family. He was described as a loner, exhibiting signs of pessimism and dissatisfaction with his life. Gao had a history of social isolation and was reportedly struggling with personal issues, including a failed romantic relationship. On the day of the bombing, he mentioned to a neighbor that he intended to go home and advised against attending the theatre if they wanted to avoid trouble.

On the evening of July 22, 1981, Gao Haiping entered the San Kuang Club theatre in Yangquan, which had a seating capacity of 2,056 and was operated by the Bureau of Mining Affairs. He had planned to attend a film screening with a woman who had previously ended their relationship, intending to kill them both using a homemade bomb containing approximately 3 kilograms of ammonium nitrate with an electric detonator, concealed in a metal box. When the woman did not arrive, Gao proceeded alone, taking seat 25 in the second row. At around 8:00 PM, he placed the bomb on his lap and detonated it, killing himself and 31 others, and injuring 127 people, 44 of whom required hospitalization. The explosion caused part of the theatre's roof to collapse and shattered the building's glass doors.

Emergency services responded swiftly, with approximately 1,000 police officers arriving within 15 minutes to secure the area and commence an investigation. Gao was identified by a former classmate who was present at the screening, and further confirmation came through blood tests and the identification of his clothing remains by his mother. Authorities discovered a suicide note and letters addressed to his parents in his home, along with additional explosives wrapped in paper.