South Carolina H 4225: Deputy Shawn Gopaul, Medal of Valor

Bill Text

South Carolina General Assembly

124th Session, 2021-2022



H. 4225



STATUS INFORMATION



House Resolution

Sponsors: Reps. Yow, Alexander, Allison, Anderson, Atkinson, Bailey, Ballentine, Bamberg, Bannister, Bennett, Bernstein, Blackwell, Bradley, Brawley, Brittain, Bryant, Burns, Bustos, Calhoon, Carter, Caskey, Chumley, Clyburn, Cobb‑Hunter, Cogswell, Collins, B. Cox, W. Cox, Crawford, Dabney, Daning, Davis, Dillard, Elliott, Erickson, Felder, Finlay, Forrest, Fry, Gagnon, Garvin, Gatch, Gilliam, Gilliard, Govan, Haddon, Hardee, Hart, Hayes, Henderson‑Myers, Henegan, Herbkersman, Hewitt, Hill, Hiott, Hixon, Hosey, Howard, Huggins, Hyde, Jefferson, J.E. Johnson, J.L. Johnson, K.O. Johnson, Jones, Jordan, Kimmons, King, Kirby, Ligon, Long, Lowe, Lucas, Magnuson, Martin, Matthews, May, McCabe, McCravy, McDaniel, McGarry, McGinnis, McKnight, J. Moore, T. Moore, Morgan, D.C. Moss, V.S. Moss, Murphy, Murray, B. Newton, W. Newton, Nutt, Oremus, Ott, Parks, Pendarvis, Pope, Rivers, Robinson, Rose, Rutherford, Sandifer, Simrill, G.M. Smith, G.R. Smith, M.M. Smith, Stavrinakis, Stringer, Taylor, Tedder, Thayer, Thigpen, Trantham, Weeks, West, Wetmore, Wheeler, White, Whitmire, R. Williams, S. Williams, Willis and Wooten

Document Path: l:\council\bills\rm\1133zw21.docx



Introduced in the House on April 20, 2021

Adopted by the House on April 20, 2021



Summary: Deputy Shawn Gopaul, Medal of Valor





HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS



	Date	Body	Action Description with journal page number	

	4/20/2021	House	Introduced and adopted (House Journal‑page 17)



View the latest legislative information at the website





VERSIONS OF THIS BILL



4/20/2021





















A HOUSE RESOLUTION



TO HONOR DEPUTY SHAWN GOPAUL OF THE CHESTERFIELD COUNTY SHERIFFS’ OFFICE, WHO DISPLAYED EXCEPTIONAL PRESENCE OF MIND AND PERFORMED SWIFT LIFE‑SAVING ACTION IN THE LINE OF DUTY, AND TO CONGRATULATE HIM UPON RECEIVING THE SOUTH CAROLINA SHERIFFS’ ASSOCIATION MEDAL OF VALOR AWARD.



Whereas, on October 20, 2020, deputies and EMS personnel were dispatched to a residence in Jefferson for an unresponsive infant. Deputy Gopaul, the initial first responder to arrive, saw a 7‑month‑old infant, limp, unresponsive, and not breathing, in the arms of her grandmother. Deputy Gopaul noticed that the infant’s lips and nose area had a blue tint. The grandmother handed the infant to Deputy Gopaul, who laid the infant on the porch, a hard surface, and began performing abdominal thrusts. After a couple of minutes of this treatment, Deputy Gopaul saw that the infant was trying to breathe but still was having trouble. He then picked up the infant and administered back thrusts. This increased the infant’s breathing somewhat, but the infant was still struggling to breathe; and



Whereas, Deputy Gopaul again laid the infant on the porch and continued infant thrusts. He was rewarded in seeing the infant’s color and breathing improve. EMS personnel arrived, and Deputy Gopaul swiftly transferred the infant to their truck. The infant was rushed to the ER and then flown to a hospital in Charlotte, North Carolina. It was revealed that at some point during the move to the hospital, the infant ceased breathing again and had to be brought back by hospital personnel; and



Whereas, it later was discovered that the infant had swallowed some filling that had come out of a quilt or bedspread. It also was discovered later that the infant was COVID‑19 positive, causing Deputy Gopaul to go into quarantine. On October 27, 2020, the infant was reported to be fine, with no lasting side effects; and



Whereas, in addition, on Thursday of the previous week, Deputy Gopaul responded in the early hours to a 1‑month‑old who was not breathing. Deputy Gopaul tried tenaciously to revive this infant but was unsuccessful. The child had not been breathing for a considerable amount of time before its distress was discovered and help summoned; and



Whereas, Deputy Gopaul exhibited extraordinary presence of mind and decisive action and will, therefore, be presented with the prestigious South Carolina Sheriffs’ Association Medal of Valor Award on Tuesday, April 27, 2021. Now, therefore,



Be it resolved by the House of Representatives:



That the members of the South Carolina House of Representatives, by this resolution, honor Deputy Shawn Gopaul of the Chesterfield County Sheriffs’ Office, who displayed exceptional presence of mind and performed swift life‑saving action in the line of duty, and to congratulate him upon receiving the South Carolina Sheriffs’ Association Medal of Valor Award.



Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be presented to Deputy Shawn Gopaul.

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