Washington • The Hawaii employee who sent out a false alarm earlier this month warning of an incoming missile attack said he misheard a message played during a drill and believed a ballistic missile was actually heading for the state, according to a federal investigation.
This contradicts the explanations previously offered by Hawaii officials, who have said the Jan. 13 alert was sent because the employee hit the wrong button on a drop-down menu.
The cellphone alert sent to Hawaii residents set off a wave of panic across the state, coming as heightened tension with North Korea has fueled fears of nuclear attacks on the United States.