Brian Ludmer, 29, remains hospitalized at the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center. When he came out of surgery, he was surrounded by his friends and colleagues. He still has one more surgery, but colleagues say he is upbeat and strong.
Ludmer is a teacher at Calabasas High School and has been in the performing arts department for the past 18 months. He was in Terminal 3 Friday morning when the first round of shots rang out. A bullet ripped through Ludmer's leg, shattering two bones.
"He fell to the ground; he turned around and looked right at the gunman," said C.J. Foss, principal at Calabasas High School.
Unable to walk and bleeding badly, Ludmer knew he needed to find cover fast.
"He dragged himself into a nearby closet to keep himself safe. Inside the closet, he found a sweatshirt, which he used as a tourniquet," said Las Virgenes Unified School District Superintendent Dan Stepenosky.
Ludmer told his colleagues that he was afraid of bleeding to death inside the closet, so again, his will to survive pushed him to act. He waited until he thought he heard officers outside the door, Stepenosky said, and then called for help.
"Two police officers dragged him out of the closet a little ways, and they stayed and guarded him," Stepenosky said.
One of the officers decided that Ludmer needed medical attention immediately. That officer grabbed a wheelchair and got him out to an ambulance, and Ludmer was rushed to the hospital.
Foss said when Ludmer came out of surgery, he told them he could not stop seeing the suspect's face when he closed his eyes.
Students at Calabasas High School have rallied around him. They have planned a walkout for Tuesday against gun violence.
"I was completely shocked. We were all really shocked," said student Lily Lester.
A fund will be set up for Ludmer to help him with medical costs. Details for the fund have not yet been released.
