Physicians are trying to save the eye of an 8-year-old Minneapolis girl after bullets were fired into a mother's car over the weekend, breaking glass and sending fragments into her eye. One bullet may have grazed the child's head, authorities say.

Two men have been charged after one summoned the mother to a north Minneapolis alley, and then called in a second man, who used a brick and bullets on the car, criminal complaints say.

The child, who turns 9 years old Wednesday, was expected to undergo her second eye surgery either later Tuesday night or Wednesday, said V.J. Smith of Minneapolis, who is the national president of Mad Dads and a friend of the family.

Smith said the girl's family didn't want to speak about the incident Tuesday evening.

Charged with first-degree assault are Diontre R. Hill, 21, and Myles R. Estes, 20, both of Minneapolis. If convicted, each could face up to 20 years in prison with a possible $30,000 fine for the felony crime.

According to the complaints: Hill called the mother to meet him in the 4200 block of Irving Avenue N. late Saturday morning. When she arrived, he asked the mother if she'd damaged a car belonging to another female, and she denied it.

Hill called someone, then the mother saw Estes running toward her car. He picked up a brick and broke windows. Hill did not intervene and appeared to be smirking, the complaint said. As the mother drove away, Estes allegedly fired multiple shots at the car, breaking another window.

The girl began to scream that she could not see. Her mother drove her to Hennepin County Medical Center, where police responded about 11:35 a.m.

Joy Powell • 612-673-7750