Community remembers 19-year-old police say was killed by stepfather

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The man who deputies say confessed to shooting his stepson made his first court appearance Tuesday. 

Deputies said Carl Lewis shot and killed his stepson, 19-year-old Bryce McCallum Sunday, then drove to Woodstock First Baptist Church and told an officer who was working traffic patrol that he'd shot his stepson. 

Tuesday evening hundreds gathered at Etowah High School to remember McCallum, a man friends and family said was kind hearted, funny and shinned from the inside out.

"I know that God is watching over him and I know that Bryce is going to be watching over us,” said his father Eugene Callahan.

McCallum’s best friend and roommate at the University of West Georgia said the expecting father was studying psychology and had just finished his freshman year.

“The most genuine person I have ever met, extremely loyal,” said Kaelo Amanambu.  “He was just a once in a lifetime human being.”

Several took turns speaking at the prayer vigil, talking about how blessed they felt to have known McCallum including his little brother.

“He was a great brother, honestly to me he was an angel sent from heaven to impact everybody's life,” said McCallum’s brother.

Lewis was booked on murder and aggravated assault among other charges. He is being held at the Cherokee County Adult Detention Center without bond.

Loved ones have setup a fundraising website for McCallum’s funeral expenses.  Funds will also go towards raising his child, who is expected to be born in December.