DHS officer sues San Diego cop who allegedly called him a ‘Chinese piece of sh*t’

A Department of Homeland Security (DHS) agent has filed a lawsuit against a San Diego police officer for excessive force, false arrest and wrongful detention after a parking lot confrontation that rendered him unconscious with serious injuries.

The federal complaint stems from a July 2, 2024 incident at the Carmel Mountain Road Costco involving DHS agent Chu Ding, 53, and off-duty San Diego Police Officer Jonathan Ferraro, who was in civilian clothing. Store cameras captured Ferraro’s SUV preventing Ding from exiting his parking space, leading Ding to tap on the vehicle’s windows. Ferraro, who moved forward but then returned to block Ding’s car, later exited his vehicle, allegedly calling Ding a “Chinese piece of shit.” The situation turned physical as Ferraro allegedly grabbed Ding and threw him to the pavement, causing him to lose consciousness.

Following Ferraro’s call for backup, six officers responded in three patrol vehicles. Officer Patrick Richards applied handcuffs on Ding that reportedly caused pain for hours. Ding regained consciousness before paramedics arrived. He sustained a fractured rib, dislocated shoulder and concussion, requiring four months of recovery.

Attorney Eugene Iredale, who is representing Ding, characterized the incident as reflecting SDPD’s “long history” of using excessive and unnecessary force. “This case involves more than the mere exercise of the rule of silence, it involves active obstruction of justice by fellow officers in covering up outrageous and brutal misconduct,” Iredale told the Times of San Diego.

Co-counsel Julia Yoo highlighted what she considers the most damaging aspect of the case. “The worst thing in the case was that Ferraro conspired with at least four other officers to falsify an arrest report and deny a seriously injured man water and medical care to try to extort an apology to justify his own misconduct,” Yoo told McClatchy News.

Over a year after the incident, Ferraro reportedly remains an officer in “good standing.” “No discipline has been imposed, neither on Ferraro nor the officers who participate in the cover-up of this brutality,” Iredale told CBS 8. And while prosecutors declined to file charges against Ding, the federal agent endured a nine-month internal investigation by the DHS’ Office of Professional Responsibility before being cleared of wrongdoing.

Ding’s suit will proceed through federal court. Both the San Diego Police Department and City Attorney’s Office have declined to comment on the pending litigation.