The Shield actor Michael Jace charged in the killing of his wife, April Jace

MICHAEL Jace, who played a Los Angeles policeman in TV’s The Shield, has been charged in the fatal shooting of his wife, April.

Officers arrived at the couple’s home in Hyde Park, Los Angeles about 8.30pm the previous evening to find 40-year-old April Jace dead inside.

“It looks to have started as a domestic-related incident,” Officer Sara Faden told the LA Times.

TMZ says Jace called 911 and said “I shot my wife.”

The 50-year-old played Julien Lowe in The Shield, a rookie cop in Los Angeles who rose to become a detective in the series, which aired from 2002-2008.

He has also had roles in Forrest Gump and Planet of the Apes.

The couple were married nine years and have three children, the eldest believed to be from a previous relationship. It is not clear if the children were home during the shooting.

Jace was married to Jennifer Bitterman before divorcing in 2002.

TV star ... Michael Jace seen in his role in TV’s The Shield. Source: Supplied