San Diego Police Accused of Cover-Up and Excessive Force in Off-Duty Encounter Lawsuit

San Diego police are facing allegations of a broad cover-up involving excessive force, false arrest, and denial of medical care in an amended lawsuit stemming from an off-duty encounter between Officer Jonathan Ferraro and U.S. Department of Homeland Security agent Chu Ding.

The incident occurred in July 2024 in a Costco parking lot in Carmel Valley, where Ferraro allegedly used a racial slur and forcefully shoved Ding to the ground, knocking him unconscious. Three witnesses called 911 reporting that an off-duty officer had flashed his badge and slammed someone to the ground.

However, the 911 operator contacted a supervisor before dispatching help, and the response was classified as a "Cover Now-Hot Call," indicating a life-or-death emergency for an officer in need of immediate assistance. Up to 14 San Diego police personnel responded, including a lieutenant, a sergeant, two detectives, and a media relations officer.

According to the lawsuit, Ferraro was allowed to roam the parking lot and speak to potential witnesses, while Ding, who suffered serious head and shoulder injuries, was handcuffed. Bystanders who protested the handcuffing were ignored.

The lawsuit alleges that police initially planned to issue Ding a citation and take him to a hospital, but upon learning he was a federal agent, they instead detained him to cover up Ferraro's abuse. Ding was taken to a police substation, where he was denied food, water, and medical care for over six hours and forced to write an apology letter to Ferraro.

He was later booked into jail, but the district attorney declined to file charges. The lawsuit also cites a pattern of misconduct within the San Diego Police Department, referencing a 2010 traffic stop case and a 2015 officer-involved shooting.

The city of San Diego has not yet responded to the updated complaint, which includes 11 claims and eight defendants.