A shield removal assembly for an autoinjector comprising a syringe barrel, a needle, and a needle shield at least partially surrounding the needle, the shield removal assembly comprising: a cap remover configured to be grasped by a user and having a proximal end and a distal end, the distal end of the cap remover comprising at least one opening therethrough; and a retainer received within the cap remover and having a proximal end and a distal end, the retainer comprising at least one grasping feature configured to engage at least one complementary grasping feature of the needle shield, and the distal end comprising an opening therethrough; wherein the shield removal assembly is configured such that the needle shield of the autoinjector can be advanced through the shield removal assembly from a first position in which the at least one grasping feature is spaced longitudinally and located proximally of the at least one complementary grasping feature of the needle shield to a second position in which the at least one grasping feature engages the at least one complementary grasping feature of the needle shield; wherein the retainer comprises at least one radially-extending protrusion, and the cap remover comprises at least one window configured to receive the radially-extending protrusion, and characterized in that the retainer is axially moveable with respect to the cap remover, and in that the retainer comprises at least one protrusion; and the cap remover comprises at least one shoulder longitudinally spaced from the at least one protrusion of the retainer, such that the cap remover is moved longitudinally away from the syringe a set distance before the at least one shoulder engages the at least one protrusion. a cap remover configured to be grasped by a user and having a proximal end and a distal end, the distal end of the cap remover comprising at least one opening therethrough; and a retainer received within the cap remover and having a proximal end and a distal end, the retainer comprising at least one grasping feature configured to engage at least one complementary grasping feature of the needle shield, and the distal end comprising an opening therethrough; wherein the shield removal assembly is configured such that the needle shield of the autoinjector can be advanced through the shield removal assembly from a first position in which the at least one grasping feature is spaced longitudinally and located proximally of the at least one complementary grasping feature of the needle shield to a second position in which the at least one grasping feature engages the at least one complementary grasping feature of the needle shield; wherein the retainer comprises at least one radially-extending protrusion, and the cap remover comprises at least one window configured to receive the radially-extending protrusion, and characterized in that the retainer is axially moveable with respect to the cap remover, and in that the retainer comprises at least one protrusion; and the cap remover comprises at least one shoulder longitudinally spaced from the at least one protrusion of the retainer, such that the cap remover is moved longitudinally away from the syringe a set distance before the at least one shoulder engages the at least one protrusion.