People shouldn't reconsider traveling to the DR if they were already going to do so. There is crime everywhere, you just need to stick to the tourist areas and be careful. I have been to a lot of different Caribbean islands (I go on a couple of cruises a year out of FL) and I wouldn't say that the DR feels any sketchier than other places; it is actually quite beautiful and the people were very friendly. They are also all about their larimar.
It is shocking what happened to Papi, but that certainly didn't seem like random violence - I'm really happy he is going to be okay.