ST. LOUIS (AP) -- A St. Louis alderman is recovering after being attacked at a service station in his ward.

Gregory Carter was assaulted Sunday by a man aggressively trying to sell CDs and DVDs outside a Shell station. The 49-year-old alderman was knocked out when he was hit in the mouth and fell to the ground, his head striking the pavement.

Carter represents the 27th Ward which includes Walnut Park, a neighborhood struggling with crime.

The assailant fled in a van. Police say the service station clerk saw Carter on the ground but didn't contact police because he was too busy.

Carter says that late last year, someone tried to sell him drugs at the same station. He says this week's incident is prompting him to step up efforts to shut it down.

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Information from: St. Louis Post-Dispatch, http://www.stltoday.com