MIAMI -- Miami Mayor Tomas Regalado said on Saturday he and other civic leaders will do whatever is needed to take care of an Italian boy struck by a stray bullet on New Year's Eve -- and hopefully avoid a tourism nightmare.

Investigators believe the 6-year-old tourist was struck by a falling bullet while he rang in the new year with his parents at posh Design District restaurant Mai Tardi.

After midnight, the boy went up to his parents complaining of chest pains, Miami police spokeswoman Kenia Reyes said. His parents lifted his shirt, saw the wound and rushed him to a hospital.

He remained at Jackson Memorial Hospital in serious condition on Saturday, Reyes said. His parents remained by his side, rearranging their travel plans to be with him.

On Friday, Regalado visited the family, along with several police officers and Deputy Chief of Police Luis Cabrera. Later that day, he described what happened to television crews as ``a public relations nightmare.''

``It's news that resonated in Italy and throughout the United States because it's a very unusual circumstance,'' Regalado said on Saturday. ``I think if we can show that the city cares, people will say that Miami is still the place to come to.''

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