User blog comment:Dave55811/Chapter 58 is out now./@comment-68.187.220.250-20140610000734

I don't think Jean's dead. And I'm not saying that out of wishful thinking.

If Isayama wanted him dead, he would've shown Jean dead. Not just the hat and the blood splatter. The image of Jean actually dying would leave more of a "Did that seriously just happen?" among readers than this one that just leaves a "Wait, what just happened?". Of the two that would keep us in shock for the next month, and also from knowing his style, he would go with the former.

My guess is Mikasa got there in time, killed the MP, the MP fired a shot off that blew the hat off.

Plain and simple.

Isayama's not one to beat around the bush when it comes to characters dying, as proven last chapter when he blew Nifa's frikin' face off.