Feds: Hawaii missile alert employee not cooperating in probe

HONOLULU — The Hawaii state employee who mistakenly sent an alert warning of a ballistic missile attack earlier this month is refusing to cooperate with federal and state investigators.

The head of the Federal Communications Commission Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau told a U.S. Senate hearing on Thursday the FCC is pleased with the cooperation it's received so far from Hawaii Emergency Management Agency leadership.

But Lisa Fowlkes says the commission is disappointed that the employee who transmitted the false alert is refusing to cooperate. She says she hopes the person will reconsider.

Hawaii Emergency Management Agency spokesman Richard Rapoza says his agency has encouraged all employees to cooperate with all investigations. But he says this employee also has refused to cooperate with the agency's internal investigations.