Ľubomír Harman was born in 1962. He grew up in Slovakia in a family that included his parents, a brother, and a sister. In his early years, he was known to be somewhat quiet. Harman attended a forestry high school in Liptovský Hrádok. There, he had some friends, but he was often seen as a loner. A former schoolmate described him as "a little quiet, I don't want to say withdrawn, maybe a loner." Another classmate remembered Harman as an average student without any special talents. He also played football with his peers.

After finishing high school, he served in the military in the early 1980s. However, he was never a professional soldier. Harman did not have a criminal record during this time. After his military service, he worked in the Wood Industry Bratislava for four years. He was employed as an "energetician in the technical division." His colleagues enjoyed his company, and they sometimes went out for beers together after work.

Harman had a keen interest in nature and hunting. This likely introduced him to firearms. He became a member of "Club of Reserve Soldiers 008 Fox" in Bratislava in 1998, where he practiced shooting and took part in competitions. He spent a lot of time at a shooting range in Stupava near Bratislava.

Throughout the 1990s, he worked at different companies and was remembered as a diligent worker. Former colleagues described him as someone who worked hard and was willing to help others. A female co-worker recalled that he was called "silent face" because he rarely spoke, but he was known to be helpful and reliable.

By 2008, Harman was no longer employed and started receiving welfare benefits. He had been persuaded to stay at his last job but chose to quit. This unemployment status affected his activities and participation in shooting events due to lack of money.

In his personal life, Harman never married and lived mostly alone. While he was close to his family, including his parents and siblings, he became more withdrawn over the years. His neighbors described him as difficult to notice, and he rarely interacted with them. He was noted to have no reported conflicts with anyone in his community and was remembered as a good person who was easily taken advantage of.

On August 30, 2010, at 9:40 a.m., Ľubomír Harman began a shooting spree in Devínska Nová Ves, an area in Bratislava, Slovakia. He started his attack inside an apartment building on Pavla Horova Street, specifically in apartment No. 8. Armed with a vz. 58 semi-automatic rifle and two handguns, he had a leather bag filled with ammunition. Harman first targeted a family living in the apartment, killing five members before he moved outside.

After leaving the building, he shot Jozef Pútik, who was from the same family he had just attacked. Pútik ran outside, desperately seeking help. As Pútik clung to the waist of 79-year-old Vincent Fratrič, Harman shot Pútik at point-blank range, killing him.

Harman then turned his attention to people on the streets. He fired randomly at pedestrians and also shot at passing cars. During this chaos, he hit several bystanders and caused injuries to people nearby. The first emergency call reporting the shooting was made at 9:45 a.m. Witnesses noted that Harman seemed focused on causing harm without any clear direction.

As police arrived on the scene, Harman began shooting at them. The police approached cautiously, trying to assess the situation. Witnesses described the chaotic scene as police tried to set up a perimeter around the shooter. At around 10:10 a.m., a specialized police unit, known as "kukláči," arrived and was able to corner Harman. In the exchange of gunfire, Harman was critically wounded. After sustaining injuries, he ultimately took his own life.

The aftermath of the shooting left eight people dead, including Harman, and injured 17 others. The victims and those injured were taken to various hospitals in Bratislava for treatment. The police sealed off the area to investigate and gather evidence related to the incident.