New York ( CNN ) -- A stretch of New York City was renamed Saturday to honor a U.S. soldier who killed himself in Afghanistan allegedly after weeks of abuse . Pvt . Danny Chen was 19 when his body was found in a guard tower in Afghanistan in October 2011 . He died of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound . The new street , `` Private Danny Chen Way , '' is located in Manhattan 's Chinatown , the neighborhood where the GI grew up . `` This was a vote for tolerance , acceptance , and above all , respect , '' New York Council member Margaret Chin said last year when the council voted to rename a portion of Elizabeth Street in lower Manhattan . `` Private Danny Chen Way will be an enduring testament to the life of this remarkable young man , and serve as a powerful reminder that bullying and racism have no place in our society . '' Allegations of racially charged hazing , physical abuse and bullying by fellow soldiers are believed to have contributed to Chen 's death , according to a council statement . The Chen family told The New York Times in October 2011 that officials said that he had suffered physical abuse and ethnic slurs by superiors , including an incident in which he was dragged from his bed and across a floor for failing to turn off a water heater after showering . In December 2011 , eight U.S. soldiers were charged in connection with Chen 's death . When it announced the charges , the Army did not specify what acts were alleged to have been committed by the soldiers , but family members said Chen had complained in letters of harassment by fellow soldiers before his death . At the time , an Army official said the soldiers were charged with hazing and abusing Chen in the weeks and days before he killed himself . Army Sgt . Adam Holcomb , who was charged with maltreatment and assault , was demoted and sentenced to 30 days in prison in July 2012 , though he was cleared on the more serious charge of negligent homicide .
A section New York 's Chinatown is renamed `` Private Danny Chen Way '' after the late owner of a Chinese restaurant in Manhattan who was killed by an assailant on his way home from work. Honor called `` enduring testament to the life of this remarkable young man ''