Yan Yanming was born in 1983 in China, though not much has been publicly released about his early life, upbringing, or family background. He was around 21 years old at the time of the murders. Reports did not clarify whether he was a former student of Ruzhou Number Two High School, but his familiarity with the dormitory suggested he had some past association with the institution.

What is known is that Yan reportedly struggled with psychological or emotional issues before the incident. However, no official psychiatric evaluation or diagnosis was released to the public.

On the night of November 26, 2004, Yan Yanming walked into the boys’ dormitory of Ruzhou Number Two High School in Ruzhou, Henan Province, China. Armed with a knife, he launched a violent and calculated attack against the sleeping teenage boys inside. Yan stabbed twelve boys, resulting in the death of nine students, while three others survived with injuries.

The attack happened swiftly and without warning. No motive was officially released by Chinese authorities, although speculation in media reports suggested that Yan may have had internal rage, psychological instability, or a grudge against the school or its students. Some reports hinted that he may have been a former student or had once lived in the same dormitory, but this remains unverified.

After the stabbing spree, Yan fled the scene. He attempted to take his own life but survived. His mother later reported his location to authorities, enabling Ruzhou police to locate and arrest him within hours of the killings.

The incident sent shockwaves through China, which at the time was experiencing a growing number of school-related attacks. It sparked conversations about school safety, dormitory access, and mental health awareness, all of which were still emerging concerns in early 2000s China.

Yan was swiftly brought to trial. Given the scale and brutality of the crime, the Chinese legal system expedited his prosecution. Though the exact date of conviction was not publicly released, he was sentenced to death and executed less than two months later, on January 18, 2005, in Pingdingshan, Henan Province.