Karel Charva was born in 1949 in Prague, Czechoslovakia. A supporter of the Prague Spring reforms, he fled to West Germany in 1968 following the Soviet-led invasion that ended the movement. Granted political asylum in 1971, Charva settled in various German towns, including Mörfelden-Walldorf and Darmstadt.​

Claiming to be a psychologist aspiring to become a teacher, he worked as a taxi driver in Frankfurt and later as a security guard. In 1976, Charva was arrested and convicted for tampering with car wheel nuts, though the motive remained unclear. Neighbors described him as a reclusive individual who spent nights typing and studying subjects like chemistry and mathematics. He legally acquired two semi-automatic pistols in 1981 and was a member of a local gun club.​

On the morning of June 3, 1983, Charva rented a VW van in Frankfurt and drove approximately 30 kilometers to Eppstein, seemingly in search of a school in session, as many were closed due to a holiday. He arrived at the Freiherr-vom-Stein Gesamtschule around 10:45 a.m., armed with a 9×19mm Smith & Wesson Model 59 and a 7.65mm Astra pistol, along with seven additional magazines.

Entering classroom 213, where English teacher Franz-Adolf Gehlhaar was instructing a sixth-grade class, Charva fired at Gehlhaar but missed. After briefly leaving and re-entering the room, he shot Gehlhaar multiple times, severely wounding him. Charva then opened fire on the students, killing three and injuring thirteen others.​

Teacher Hans-Peter Schmitt and unarmed police officer Gisbert Beck, who were nearby, responded to the commotion. Both were shot and killed by Charva. As police arrived and attempted to negotiate, Charva retreated into a neighboring classroom and committed suicide by shooting himself in the mouth around 11:15 a.m.​

In total, Charva killed five individuals and wounded fourteen others. An autopsy revealed he was under the influence of alcohol during the attack. The motive remains unclear, though it's speculated that frustration over his failed attempts to become a teacher may have contributed to his actions.